Family of Dragons
by Kaiba is WHAT Productions
Summary: 10 years down the road. Kaiba adopted 6 years old Kisara. Jounouchi has a pair of twin sons. One fine day, they meet again... BL KaibaxJou.
1. Prologue Seto

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions  
  
_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Prologue**

**

* * *

**

"Kisara, let go of your friend's collar. Kisara!"

Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corporation and the many Kaiba Land Overseas Companies warned as he hurriedly flipped his laptop close and hurried over to the mini jungle gym. It had just been a brief moment since he kept an eye on the little girl and she was in trouble, again.

Little Kisara, pale skin, blue eyed looked up at the towering CEO, but her small little hands still held a solid grip on the other terrified kid who would not let go of his Kuribo doll.

"Kisara." Kaiba warned again, his tone relatively gentle than normal but firm, and little Kisara let go of the doll very reluctantly. The victim of little Kisara's terrorization scampered off to his mother instantly. Kisara turned back at the CEO with a very unhappy 'see what you did' look.

"What am I to do with you?" Kaiba signed silently, though still keeping his face straight with a slight frown. He pulled Kisara away from the gym and led Kisara back to the waiting room's comfort seats.

The little girl pouted as she trotted behind unwillingly. "But he started it first. He wouldn't let me show him how to multiply his Kuribo." Kisara protested. "I just want to show him how to multiply Kuribos!"

Kuribo.

Kaiba smiled faintly. The brown little monster had always annoyed him extremely. It was small, weak and almost to the point of being useless. He had never been able to understand, nor bother to understand why Yugi put the card into his deck, though Yugi had certainly mastered his Kuribo gracefully.

The CEO paused. Yugi Mutou. Black Magician. Duelist Island. Battle City.

These things that were deemed so important to him back then seemed so far and beyond. It seemed as if all those were just fading back and white photos in a deserted photo album. It had been years since he had seen Yugi or any of his friends. In fact, Kaiba ran a quick calculation in his mind, it had been ten years, a decade. He had not seen any of them since high school graduation.

"...multiplying Kuribo is so fun. Don't understand why he just wouldn't let me show him how to..." Kisara continued to grumble.

A little tug on his trench coat summoned Kaiba back to the little girl who was staring up at him in one of his own patented glares.

"You aren't listening." The small girl accused rightfully.

He patted her head apologetically.

Why the sudden nostalgic over old friends and fiends? It was definitely not his character to do so. Pushing all thoughts of Yugi and his happy companions out of his mind, he started on the matter at hand.

Sitting Kisara down on the comfort seat beside his laptop, he went on explaining to her that once she tears up the Kuribo, em...so as to multiply Kuribo, then it becomes no more a toy, and it was bad enough when she does it to her own, but she definitely should not do it with other kids'.

Kisara frowned and folded her arms, giving Kaiba an early version of a Kaiba's frown. At the sight of this, a smile threatened to spill on Kaiba's lips. He ruffled Kisara's pale long hair and kneeled down so that they were at eye level.

"How about this?" Kaiba suggested, "You promise not to tear or multiply any more Kuribos and I'll get Uncle Mokuba to get you a set of Kuribo family dolls the next time he visits."

Kisara burst into a smile. The little girl simply loved Kuribos.

"Alright! You're the best, daddy!" Kisara cheered. She bounced to her feet and gave Kaiba a quick peck on the cheek before running back off to the jungle gym.

Kaiba felt his face flush red as he sat himself down at the comfort seat. It had been three years since he had adopted Kisara as his daughter but he could never get use to the little girl's affection. Mokuba had been very close to him, but he had never kissed him or showed affection towards his elder brother so openly. Raising a girl was wholly different from raising a boy and Kisara was certainly a handful. Mokuba was an angel as compared to her, despite his little pranks every now and then. But Kisara was completely different, with her disastrous ability to fall head-first into numerous troubles of any sort. The little girl was hyper active.

Not that Kaiba knew about it when he adopted Kisara. He had found her in Egypt. Mokuba had recommended that Kaiba Corp should spread its operation area to Egypt, considering that Egypt was where Duel Monsters all started. In other words, Mokuba wanted to set up Kaiba Land, Egypt. That was five years ago and Kaiba had no objections towards it. Mokuba had started to share the running of the corporation as soon as he entered high school. Together, the capable Kaiba brothers had succeeded in making Kaiba Corp and Kaiba Land the Microsoft of the games sector. Now, they had Kaiba Land USA, Australia, France, China, Egypt, Japan, and a new one in Thailand awaiting contractors.

It took a full two years to complete Kaiba Land, Egypt. Mokuba wanted it to be the grandest Kaiba Land of them all. He practically designed every single detail of the game park, spending the most money and time on recreating an 18th Dynasty Egyptian Palace along with its surrounding city as well as Pharaoh Atemu's Tomb. Kaiba suspected that Yugi had a part to do with that. Mokuba had always been overly sociable with the Yugi gang and especially enjoyed Yugi's stories about his other half and his Egyptian histories, hanging on to every single of his words.

But Kaiba did not object to the building of the Egyptian World as it is called now, nevertheless. Now, Kaiba Land Egypt was the top visited park among all and he supposed it was Egyptian World's artwork. It was absolutely surprising how people would actually travel all the way to Egypt just to visit Kaiba Land Egypt with its Egyptian World.

Three years ago, Mokuba had persuaded him to take a trip together, touring all the Kaiba Lands at one go. Kaiba would have very much preferred to stay at his US mansion and remote control the Kaiba Lands as he usually did. But it was so hard to turn down a brother who specially flew in to US from Japan. Egypt was the last stop of their trip before they each headed back to where they belong now, Mokuba in Japan and Kaiba in the US.

Kaiba had no idea now how Mokuba had then convinced him to tour the rural areas of Egypt together. On their travels, they came across an orphanage. It was hard to believe it was even an orphanage. It was barely any bigger than Kaiba's personal bathroom. Then again, Kaiba's personal bathroom was large.

It was nothing Kaiba would have imagined to be livable. Yet there they found Kisara. Lying in a dark corner of the orphanage in a filthy little bed, she was a sick but nonetheless beautiful child. And then Mokuba suggested that they adopt her. And so they did. It was only after they adopted the girl officially, that they realized that Kisara was hyper active. The little orphanage had actually drugged her with sleeping pills to keep her in bed and out of trouble.

Drugging a child was the worst thing Kaiba could ever think of doing to a child. As soon as Kaiba returned to USA with Kisara, he had her brought to Children Therapist Centre instead. There, Kisara got the help she needed. Nonetheless, Kisara still got into lots of "accidents", such as punching a little boy in the face and knocking off his loose front teeth, or pushing a little girl on a swing so hard that she flew off... or multiplying someone's Kuribo, or even kicking a parent in the shins, or... well, you get the picture. Fortunately, Kaiba could afford to take care of those little misfortunes.

Taking care of Kisara was exhausting, indefinitely more wearisome than being the CEO of Kaiba Corporation. But there were fulfilments in raising Kisara too. When Kisara smiled, cuddled up with him on stormy nights or even just held on to his hand while crossing the roads, these brought some warmth into the young man's life. Kisara filled up his lonely days without Mokuba...

"Kisara Kaiba, room 2 please." The nurse at the counter announced, interrupting his train of thoughts. Kaiba collected his laptop and Kisara from the jungle gym and headed down to the indicated room.

* * *

Yugi...

Kaiba's thoughts floated back to Yugi and his friends again as he sat in the room watching the middle aged Doctor, Light observed Kisara play with a Rubik's cube.

"As she gets older, she will learn to be more disciplined and controlled." The doctor explained as she observed Kisara play with a Rubik's cube at the mini table set, her little hands twisting the colorful toy in all directions.

Kaiba nodded absently in agreement. The last 3 years of reading up on Hyperactivities and their treatments had made him half a therapist.

But he wasn't paying attention to what Doctor Light was saying or whatever Kisara was doing with the Rubik's cube.

He was thinking about Domino City. Thoughts of Yugi and his happy gang led him eventually to his home city back in Japan. He had never visited the city again since he left it 10 years ago. He opted to leave it out of their tour 3 years ago. Saw no need in going there at all since Mokuba was in control there and visiting it to check out the operations seemed like an insult to Mokuba, though the younger Kaiba had thought it was crazy of Kaiba to think that way. Whatever the case, He had never ever revisited Domino City.

It wasn't that he feared going back or any thing like that. There was just no need to. One place was just the same as another. One city a replica of the other. He had learned that in his travels around the world.

And then there was Mokuba, Mokuba was there in Domino City to take care of everything. They work together in a simple way; Mokuba did most of the administration and office work, which were mainly in Kaiba Land Japan, the main Kaiba Land. Kaiba, on the other hand, stationed himself in USA, traveling every now and then to the Kaiba Lands all over the world to solve problems and to meet prospective business partners...

"Mr. Kaiba? Are you listening to me?" the Doctor asked patiently as Kisara threw the Rubik's cube across the room in resignation.

Kaiba rocketed back into the world. He hated being caught inattentive and to make things worse, this was the second time in a day he was caught drifted off.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" Kaiba left the low armchair he had been sitting in to retrieve the Rubik's cube.

"I was saying," Doctor Light explained good-naturedly, "that her condition has improved greatly since I first met her 3 years ago. She is now more even-tempered and less easily excited. I can see that our therapy and your constant companying her has helped a lot, but she would improve even more if you would put her on medication-"

"That is out of question. We have gone through this. I don't want her on any drugs." Kaiba said firmly, his hands twisting the Rubik's cube expertly, as Kisara watched in awe.

"Very well." The doctor agreed resignedly. "In that case I recommend the next level of therapy, which is developing her social skills."

Kaiba frowned at the comment. Social skills. The mutt back in Domino City had always insulted him of having none of those. But in truth, it was more of a truth rather than an insult. He didn't have much of a social skill or cared about having social skills. Nevertheless, he had been glad that Mokuba was the complete opposite of him when it came to socializing.

And now, it was Kisara's turn. Kaiba did not want her to grow up to be like him.

"I agree with you." Kaiba passed the completed Rubik's cube to Kisara who happily accepted it and stared at it in wonder.

"Kisara enrolled to Kindergarten last year, but for the past two years, her attendance was less than a third required. And we both know why, don't we?" The doctor asked.

"Yes." Kaiba replied irritated. If this was 10 years ago, and the doctor worked for him, Doctor Light would find herself out of job immediately.

"Your work requires you to move around for spans of 2 weeks to 3 months depending on the case, we both know that it helps to keep Kisara by you side, but she misses a lot of opportunity to mix around with her friends. "

"Mn." Kaiba grunted in response.

"What I'm trying to say is, Mr. Kaiba, have you ever considered settling down?"

* * *

Kaiba couldn't keep his mind of Doctor Light's statement as he pulled into their driveway.

"Mr. Kaiba, have you ever considered settling down?"

The sweetly lady did not explain the implication of settling down before shooing them out of the room as their session ended.

But he knew what she meant. He needed to settle down, stop traveling around, build a home, send Kisara to Primary School in the coming year, which was 2 months away, live a normal lifestyle that requires little traveling, let Kisara live a normal lifestyle that requires minimal traveling, and probably also, get a partner in life.

"We're home!" Kisara's shout echoed in the large empty mansion as they stepped in.

Kaiba froze in his tracks.

"I'm home!"

Mokuba used to shout that every time he reached home back in Domino City.

Domino City.

"Daddy?" Kisara tugged at his trench coat worriedly.

Kaiba's eyes met up with Kisara's blue eyes.

"Start packing. We are going home."

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

Our first Yu-Gi-Oh fic... and a yaoi one... and one that we actually did together sitting together... and actually post online...

Jounouchi has yet to appear... sorry...He will appear next chapter!

We don't know if readers would like this... but we personally felt it wasn't too bad.

Reviews are welcomed but we can do without them as well...


	2. Prologue Jounouchi

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions.  
_  
**Prologue 2**  


* * *

Domino City.

Katsuya Jounouchi always thought that the city never changed. In fact, no big change had occurred at all in the past 28 years in which he had lived in the small city. Just like the moon never changed. It was still the pale bright ball of light in the night sky...on the other hand, was it an article he read the other day? About United Nations planning to build a base on the moon? Some things do change after all... on far away places like the moon, but not here in Domino City.

People leave and go, but they always wound up back where they started, this he had observed in the past years. Anzu had left for New York to pursue her dancer dream after they graduated. 5 years later, after 200 performances at the Broadway, countless love letters with Yugi, one accident that left her with a chronic foot injury and a dream-like marriage proposal; she was back in Domino City...

And then they was-

"Mew?"

-A cat currently clutched in his hands.

"Alright, sweetie, we will do this quick and painless." He cooed at the year-old cat who was struggling to get out of his grasp.

"Jono! Seth! Lend me your hands!" His shout rang through the small shop, accompanied by barking of dogs and mewing of cats.

One small mildly irate blonde head poked into the doorway to the pet shop's grooming room. "Yeah here ...daddy?"

"Is that Seth?" Jounouchi asked, turning around briefly to check on his son. "Where is Jono?"

The small blonde walked over grumbling. "I'm not Seth. I'm Jono. Seth is stuck with the brochures again."

Jounouchi made a mental note to go rescue his other son after the chore at hand.

"Hold her, and press her down." Jounouchi commanded.

Jono did as told, his small hands forcing down the squeamish fur ball onto the counter.

Jounouchi quickly prepared the anesthetics and jabbed it into the cat swiftly.

"Why do Seth and I always have to help you with these matters? Can't you get a nurse?" Jono complained, still holding on to the cat. The effects of the anesthetics would not work for another 3 minutes.

"We are a small vet." Jounouchi explained as he put away the needles and prepared for the cat's bath. "Besides, we are just bathing her. And if your aunt Shizuka was here. I wouldn't ask you and Seth to help."

"Seth got away this time." Jono whined.

Right, his other son was still stuck with brochures in the pet shop part of the premise.

"Just hold her till she falls asleep." Jounouchi instructed and headed to the other room. Finding the other small blonde wasn't a difficult task, considering that the vet cum pet shop wasn't very big.

Seth was sitting at the pet shop counter, which was also the reception for the vet, reading away their own pet shop brochures. His eyes scanned over every single word on the page carefully before heading on to the next. After completing one brochure, he automatically reached for another similar one and started the exercise all over again.

Jounouchi winced. It was hurting to see his son like this, reading the same article over and over again. Yet he knew that Seth could not help it. He could also see the pain and exhaustion reflected in Seth's brown eyes.

If he was to leave Seth there alone, Seth would continue to read all the brochures until the stack of brochures come to an end.

"Seth." Jounouchi called out softly.

The boy acknowledged his presence with a slight nod.

"Look at me, Seth." Jounouchi lifted the young boy's chin.

"I keep missing a word." Seth whispered, his voice trembling. He was almost at the blink of crying.

"Well, how about we read together. That way, we won't miss the word." Jounouchi offered.

Seth nodded and chucked the brochure to his father. The father and son then read together. "Puppy Love Pet Shop cum Veterinarian..."

As they droned on together, Jounouchi removed the remaining of the tall stack of brochures from the counter without Seth's notice. Years of practice had him master the skill of removing reading materials out of Seth's sight. Seth was obsessive-compulsive. His obsession? A nagging worry that he would miss out words while reading. His compulsion was to keep reading to ensure he missed no words, in every article.

"... Uno Square, Unit 01-22, Domino City, Japan." They ended together.

"See? We didn't miss a word at all!" Jounouchi announced.

Seth nodded in agreement happily.

"Daddy! The cat is dead!!!!" The other boy informed from the inside room.

"She's sleeping." Jounouchi reminded then turned to Seth, "Go help Jono bath the cat, and don't drown it."

The younger version of Jounouchi bounced off the high chair he was sitting on and joined his other half.

Jounouchi stared at the stack of brochures left in his hand. Shizuka should have known better than to leave stacks of reading materials lying around. Besides, it was not like stampedes of customers were going to come in and collect all the brochures. On the other hand, where was she- the owner of the pet shop? He was only the veterinarian here. They had a deal that Shizuka would be the one playing receptionist, and cleaning up cats.

"Woof!" a 3 month old Jack Russell in his box reminded Jounouchi that he still had work to do, rather than sit around complaining.

The young man approached the showcases lined up along the glass panels, which separated them from the outside world, armed with news papers and bottles of fresh water. The showcases were purposely positioned there as to attract pedestrians walking along the square. Moreover, it also provided free entertainment for the puppies who could watch people and cars go by.

Replacing the dirty newspapers with fresh ones was a routine job he did every morning. Shizuka wasn't too fond of doing the particular job. It was okay with Jounouchi. He would change the newspapers, refill the puppies' water dishes and play with the puppies.

Outside, he could see the traffic light turn red. A school bus stopped and the students in it crowded over to the bus window, pointing and looking at the little animals in their respective cases.

The traffic light and the intersection was a reason why they bought this unit some 4 years ago. Pedestrians passing by would often stop and watch, and hopefully, fall in love with the little creatures as they await the traffic light to signal green man. Owners could also drop their pets off at the clinic or the pet shop for grooming easily.

Jounouchi smiled as one overly-amiable Shih Tzu licked his face repeatedly as he replaced the newspapers in the puppy's case.

He patted the puppy and closed the door. Outside, the traffic light had just turned red again.

Jounouchi observed the cars. He needed to buy a new car. His current one was heading for the junk yard to be scraped in 2 months. He could afford a new one any time. His current car was his first car and it held many special memories and feelings. It was the car which had drove Anzu to the airport when she left for New York; it was the same car that drove Yugi to the same airport to bring Anzu, his bride back home. And it was the car which Jono and Seth had scratched, dirtied, stained, vomited, slept and played in all these years. But as Yugi had said, all good things would eventually come to an end. He would have to buy a new one and collect new memories. Besides Jono and Seth were going to primary school next year and would need a car to chauffeur them around.

One car parked directly in front of the shop awaiting the traffic light caught his eye. It wasn't the design, brand or anything like that, but rather the car plate.

Mokuba's car.

Mokuba changes his car almost like he changes his clothes, or his countless girlfriends.

But it was infinitely the easiest to recognize car in any country.

"MOKU"

The front car plate read. The back read "KAIBA", like any other car belonging to the Kaiba brothers and their corporation.

The back seat windows were winded down. A fair little girl was in the back passenger seats, her body stretched so far out Jounouchi was worried she would fall out.

"When did Mokuba become a pedophile?" He wondered to himself jokingly. Of course that was impossible. Mokuba had been reading playboy magazines with him and Honda every Friday night since the younger teen entered junior high. But the tradition eventually stopped after Mokuba entered High school and discovered real girls.

Mokuba's car windows were always tinted. Since his front windows weren't down, he couldn't see who was driving.

The little girl then patted the seat in front of her and pointed at their pet shop.

Jounouchi watched as the front window winded down, and there was Mokuba, waving at him. He watched on as Mokuba turned away to a person sitting in his front passenger seat and pointed back to the pet shop.

The person in the front seat...

That familiar mop of neat, brown hair...

Jounouchi gawked open-mouthed.

The traffic light changed and the car took off.

That wasn't Seto Kaiba, was it?  


* * *

  
**Authors' comments:**

Kay, this became prologue 2...because we wanted chapter 1 to be the chapter they met.

About bathing a cat- it's necessary to anaesthetize cats when bathing them. Cats hate water and bathing them is so difficult most people just bring them to professional grooming centres. There the groomers would bath and trim their nails after knocking them out.

Kisara here is hyperactive, Seth is obsessive compulsive, and Jono is...? We will come to that later.... The idea of OCD came from one of our favourite Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic-Disabled by Killian. But our comprehension of OCD is a bit different.

And a reminder, Seth and Jono are identical twins.

Thank you to the reviewers. Your reviews are very encouraging! We will continue to write this story! And definitely no prologue 3!


	3. Chapter 1: Therapist Centre

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions  
  
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions.

**Chapter 1**  


* * *

  
Kaiba had just stepped out of his old office at Kaiba Corp when his cell phone rang.

Perfect timing. The CEO thought, positive that it must be his secretary, informing him that Kisara had just managed to destroy yet another Kaiba Corp game machine or multiplied someone else's Kuribo. Instead much to his relief, he was greeted by Mokuba's voice at the other end of the line.

"Brother? Mokuba here. I assume you are leaving your office now?"

"Yes, Mokie, I'm about to go pick up Kisara. Have you seen my secretary? " Seto greeted as he headed for the lift. His work for the day had been completed, not that he had much to do anyway.

They were three weeks back in Domino City and had quite settled down into the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba had happily welcomed them home, he had picked them up from the airport and even droved them around the city for sight- seeing. Not that the city had changed much in the last 10 years, but Mokuba thought it would be nice for Kisara to get familiar with the city which she would be making as her hew home. And Kisara, of course, was never tired or unwilling to move to a new town. She was more than thrilled to move to Domino City.

Speaking of the little monster, Kaiba remembered that he had to bring Kisara to her therapist appointment in the afternoon. Mokuba had recommended the particular therapy centre they were going to. Then again, Domino City wasn't that big to have another Therapy Centre.

The CEO checked his watch, his secretary should have been back with Kisara ten minutes ago, but there were no signs of them. Kisara was probably giving her a hell of a time, time to go rescue her and release her from the little brat now.

"I just want to inform you that Kisara is with me." Mokuba's voice from the other end of the line was interrupted by Kisara's laughter and her version of Hamtaro's theme song. "She had lunch with me, so don't worry about her starving. And oh yeah, I let Mrs. Kazumi have the rest of her day off, hope you don't mind, because even if you do, she's gone."

"You gave my secretary leave without informing me?" Kaiba snorted.

"Geez brother." Mokuba reprimanded, "Mrs. Kazumi is not a young bubbly woman anymore, and babysitting Kisara undoubtedly calls for all her energy. Give the old lady a break."

Kaiba grimaced but said nothing. Nonetheless, he reminded himself to give the old lady a raise. He liked his current secretary; she was efficient and had been working for him since he entered the Corp. In fact, she had been almost like a mother to him and Mokuba when they were younger. She deserved a raise.

"Fine, so where are you?" Kaiba gave in.

"We are at the pet shop!" the younger Kaiba replied, his words once again interrupted by a squeal of delight from Kisara.

Kaiba could hear voices in the back ground, a female voice telling Kisara, "That's right! That's the way to hold the puppy, just don't drop her!"

"You know, Jou and his sis, Shizuka's pet shop, the one I pointed out to you during our sight-seeing the other day." Mokuba continued.

Kaiba snorted and entered the lift. "I remember the shop, Puppy Love, right? Kisara has a doctor appointment at 3pm in case you've forgotten. And aren't you supposed to be working now? It's office hour now."

"I haven't forgotten about the appointment and I know it's office hour. I'm just having an extended lunch break with Kisara." Mokuba's voice returned over the din in the pet shop, "I'll send Kisara to the Therapist Center in a few minutes. You can meet us there, then I'll go back to work and you can have Kisara for the rest of the day."

"Fine. I'll see you for dinner." Kaiba agreed. He was about to shut his phone when he remembered something. "Mokie, are you still there?"

"Yeah." Mokuba returned.

"I'm wondering." Kaiba felt he had to ask, "Is Jo- is the mutt there?"

"You mean Jounouchi?" The younger Kaiba asked, "No, he's not here. Today is his free day and only Shizuka's here. Are you looking for him, brother?"

Kaiba was slightly disappointed. It was definitely not that he liked or had anything for the mutt. But after leaving Domino City and leading an often lonely life in US, he had came to realize that he actually kind of ...enjoyed his high school life and that he missed it. High school life had been fun and interesting. And one of the factors that had made his high school life interesting had been his bickering with the mutt. Of course, dueling, competing with Yugi and threatening teachers with their jobs at stake all made up part of his interesting school life too, but squabbling with a classmate, with the mutt – that had always made him feel like a normal high school student, a normal person, a normal human.

"Brother?" Mokuba's voice came over the phone, "You there?"

Kaiba snapped back to reality. The nostalgic was really getting into him. Coming back to Domino City had seemed such a good idea in US, but now the CEO was not so sure.

"I'm here." He replied, "It's nothing, just hoping that he was there so that I could drop by to see mutts chasing each other."

"Whatever. I'm sending Kisara to the Therapist Center, see you there."

Kaiba gave a quick bye and headed for his car.  


* * *

"Can I have a puppy please?"

"No, Kisara. We are not having a puppy."

"Please please please?"

"NO. Kisara. We don't have time to take care of a puppy!"

"Daddy" Kisara begged, "I promise to take care of him. I'll take him for walks. I'll bath him and feed him."

Kaiba gave a firm shake of his head, "No. Kisara. We are NOT getting a puppy. Now be a good girl and smile when you see the doctor."

Kisara pouted and said nothing more. But Kaiba knew that the little girl was still silently fuming and probably plotting a little prank on him. Deciding that he didn't look forward to waking up with glue on his feet the next morning, the CEO suggested, "We can't have a real dog, Kisara. But I can get you a robot dog. You can still walk him and play with him."

"But it's not real." Kisara insisted.

Damn Mokie and the pet shop, Kaiba cursed silently as he led Kisara along the walkway to the Therapist Center. The CEO had just barely parked his car outside the one storey building when Mokuba thrust the little girl to him and left after giving an apologetic smile. Kisara had been begging to own a puppy since then and it would most probably take weeks before she would get over the issue. It was surprising how well the little girl's memory was.

"We'll talk about this later." Kaiba sighed as he entered the Therapist Center. Cool fresh air greeted him, a sign of good environment and facilities. He looked down to see Kisara clutching so tightly to his trench coat she was causing wrinkles. Though generally bold, Kisara was often shy in new environments and needed time to adapt. But her adaptation was relatively fast and Kaiba knew that by the end of the visit she would be the little wrecker again. He had no doubt that his daughter had the destruction power of Obelisk.

"Play ground!" Kisara gave a cry of delight and loosened her grasp on Kaiba. "Daddy, can I go play?"

Kaiba checked his watch, surveyed the waiting room and figured that there was probably some time for Kisara to play before her appointment time. "You may, but remember. No pushing swings too hard. No kicking sand at your friend. No shoving friends off slides and –"

"And no multiplying of Kuribos." Kisara continued, rolling her eyes. "Yadda nadda, can I go play?

"Alright, go." Kaiba nodded and little Kisara scampered out of a side door into the backyard of the centre.

Kaiba shook his head in resignation and headed to the counter to register their visit.

Brownish blonde messy hair hovering over the computer caught his attention. The CEO felt his heart pause as a familiar voice came from behind the computer.

"Hm... I'll summon Red Eyes Black Dragon onto the field...in attack mode. I'm gonna win this duel, ha!" The blonde behind the computer clicked on his mouse, his concentration wholly on the screen.

That voice. Kaiba was almost stunned. Domino City wasn't this small, was it? He approached the counter and stared at the dueling receptionist.

"Mutt?"

The receptionist snapped up from the screen.

"Kaiba?!"  


* * *

  
Jono flipped the bucket over and planted it firmly into the sandpit. Then, like a careful little scientist, he tapped the bottom of the bucket lightly and gently lifted the bucket to reveal a nice brown sand pudding. Clutching a mini shovel, he started to shape the pudding and smiled in satisfaction as the castle slowly started taking shape.

"Seth, look at my castle. It's for my Red Eyes!" The happy little boy fetched his Red Eyes doll from his collection of toys lying abut the sand pit and perched it carefully on his castle.

Seth stole a look and shrugged, "Big deal. You castle is so small."

Jono pouted and turned to observe his other half's work. His eyes widened in awe as he stared at his brother's massive castle. "Wow. That is big."

Seth beamed in pride and perched his Blue Eyes doll onto the tower, "Yepz. And this is my Blue Eyes's castle."

Jono turned back at his castle, small and silly beside Seth's majestic and grand work. He frowned and proceeded to stamp his castle flat - but not before Seth grabbed his foot and Jono fell backwards on his bottom.

"Ow! What did you do that for?" Jono asked, rubbing his sore bottom.

Seth retrieved Red Eyes from Jono's castle and stared at it. Then he smiled and planted it beside his Blue Eyes in his large castle.

Jono stared in mild confusion.

"Red Eyes and Blue Eyes are very very good friends so they live together." Seth explained. "They are both dragons, and dragons are good to each other."

"That's not what daddy always says. Daddy says that Blue Eyes and Red Eyes are enemies." Jono objected.

Seth shrugged and retrieved a Kuribo doll. "And Kuribo protects their castle in the small castle in front of them."

The older of the two planted the Kuribo doll onto Jono's castle and the identical twins beamed in satisfaction.

"Wow."

The two boys turned to look at the new comer. A blue eyed girl who looked their age.

"Hi." Jono jumped onto his feet, "Wanna play with us?"

"Sure." The girl responded quickly and sat down beside Seth, "I'm Kisara. What are your names?"

"I'm Jono." Jono propped himself down and pointed to Seth, "And this is my twin, Seth."

"Hi." Seth greeted shyly.

"Twins?" Kisara chorused, wide eyed as she looked at the two. "That's so lucky. You can play with each other all the time."

"Yeah, but everyone keeps calling me Seth and calling Seth Jono, including daddy." Jono complained, "Sometimes it gets so horrible we forgot who we are."

Seth nodded in agreement.

"But it's still fun. Wish I had a twin." Kisara mumbled, and then she noticed the Kuribo, "You have a Kuribo. How cute!"

"Yeah, wanna play?" Jono asked as he picked up the Kuribo and trust it towards his new friend Kisara.

"No." Kisara shook her head, "I can't. Daddy won't let me play with Kuribos."

"Why?" Seth asked innocently.

"He's afraid that I would multiply someone's Kuribo." Kisara explained.

Seth paled. He had a hinge that it had something to do with dismantling the doll.

"How do ya multiply Kuribos?" Jono asked naïve as always.

"I'm not allowed to play with Kuribos, so I can't show you." Kisara signed. Her eyes then fell on the Red Eyes and Blue Eyes on Seth's castle, "Hey, I know what I can show you. I can show you how to fuse the dragons together to make an Ultimate Dragon!"

The excited little girl retrieved her prized Blue Eye doll from her bag. "We need three dragons to make an Ultimate Dragon."

"Here, take my Red Eyes and Seth's Blue Eyes." Jono suggested as he shoved the dragons to Kisara.

Seth bit his lips, fearing for the worst.

"This is how we do it." Kisara instructed as she pulled rubble bands off her ponytail, allowing her locks of pale hair to tumble down her shoulders, and placed the rubber bands neatly on the floor. Then she picked up both Jono's Red Eyes and Seth's Blue Eyes by their necks and with a sudden pull, stretched the dragons' necks to the maximum and parted the necks from the bodies.

Seth's lips quivered. "My Blue..."

"And finally." Kisara announced as she skillfully tied the Red Eyes's neck and Blue Eyes's neck onto her Blue Eyes with her rubble bands. "I summon Ultimate Dragon!"

"Cool" Jono cheered as he watched Kisara perch the Dragon onto Seth's castle.

Seth was at the blink of tears as he stared at the remnants of his decapitated Blue Eyes. His eyes trailed up to the 'Ultimate Dragon', which in fact looked nothing more bizarre and hideous than a Blue Eyes with a torn Red Eyes neck and Blue Eyes neck tied to both sides of a Blue Eyes.

"Seth?" Jono asked thoughtfully, sensing his bother's distress.

"Er...Seth...did I do anything that...upset you?" Kisara asked cautiously as it dawned on her that maybe she shouldn't have tore her new friend's Blue Eyes, "Coz my dad always have that same look when I upset him..."

* * *

  
Jounouchi's head snapped up from the screen and his eyes widened.

"Kaiba?!"

They took their turns to observe each other. Jounouchi was stunned beyond words. How could Kaiba be here?!

"What is a mutt like you doing in a prestigious therapist centre like this?" Kaiba mocked

Jounouchi blinked. So that was Seto Kaiba, the owner of the mop of brown hair he saw in Mokuba's car 3 weeks ago.

He wanted to spat back insults at the taller man but his mouth automatically shot out, "Kaiba ...what are you doing here?"

"I have an appointment here, mutt." Kaiba informed "If you did your job properly instead of dueling on-line you would have known that."

Jounouchi opened his mouth and then shut it. He found himself unable to rebuff Kaiba's claim. He had been caught and he had neither way nor desire to deny it. Damn, after ten years and the guy was still at him for it. And just why was he seeing a therapist anyway? Even if Kaiba was back in Domino City, the Therapist Center was the last place he had expected to see the taller man.

Well, in any case, better start doing his job now. He retrieved a folder and scanned through the appointment list for 'Kaiba'. He raised a brow when he caught a name, "Kisara Kaiba?"

"Her appointment is at 3pm." Kaiba informed.

"She's – she's your em..daughter?" Jounouchi asked uncertainly. He ran a quick calculation through his mind. Kisara was six, going to seven, as stated in her profile, she was same age as Jono and Seth, so that meant Kaiba had her at ...twenty two?! The CEO definitely did not seem like a person who would marry early.

"Yes, you got a problem with that?" Kaiba snapped irately. Then he paused and continued quietly, "She's my adopted daughter."

Jounouchi was surprised by Kaiba's sudden change in demeanor but said nothing. Being a parent both strengthened and softened a person and Jounouchi understood that.

It did not come as too great a surprise to Jounouchi that Kaiba had adopted a child; Kaiba had been an orphan after all. But adopting a little girl? Didn't seem very likely, but the girl was very lucky, Jounouchi figured, to have a Kaiba for a father. The veterinarian wondered who the lucky little girl was, was it the girl in the car the other day? Mokuba had not informed him Kaiba's daughter, but then again, the younger Kaiba had sort of drifted away from Yugi and the gang since he started university. School, work and girlfriends took up most of the young Kaiba's time and it wasn't surprising that he would forget to inform them about Kisara.

"She must be very lucky." Jounouchi commented simply. Kaiba appeared taken back by his sociability but it showed only for an instant.

"What?" Jounouchi joked, "Unused to a civilized mutt?"

"Last I heard, therapist centres don't allow mutts to wander around in them." Kaiba shot back, but his tone was not sarcastic, more of playful.

Jounouchi grinned, "Actually they do. My puppies and kittens from the pet shop often wander around here. It's a form of treatment to patients with Anxiety Disorder."

"Hm." Kaiba remarked, "Took you ten years to learn how to argue back."

Jounouchi replied easily, "Yeah, and it took you the same ten years to learn how to have a civilized conversation with me."

That was an awkward silence as Jounouchi tapped his finger on the mouse uneasily. He wondered if he should just ask Kaiba to take a seat while waiting for the current patient to leave the Therapist Centre. Striking up a conversation with Kaiba didn't seem likely. But then again, haven't they been just having a civil conversation a few seconds ago?

He took his time to observe Kaiba who was looking away at the playground for the instant. The CEO was taller now, but his frame was still as before, very slim. Nonetheless, underneath the trench coat and suit, Jounouchi knew that the guy had a hell of a body. Had seen it during Judo and swimming lessons back in high school. Jounouchi gave a light chuckle. High school had been so long ago it seemed like eternity.

"I heard that you became a veterinarian." Kaiba commented softly.

Jounouchi blinked. Was Kaiba actually striking up a conversation with him?

"Yeah." The blonde managed, "My vet is at Shizuka's shop. I think you passed by it in Mokuba's car. It's called - "

"Puppy Love. I know." Kaiba continued for him, "So, then what are you doing here?"

"Community service." Jounouchi replied. Kaiba gave a quizzical look and Jounouchi went on to explain. "This Therapist Center is a Teen Counseling Center as well. I – Well I used to come here back in Junior High. So I figured I'll volunteer to help out around here. Today they put me at the reception since the receptionist was sick."

"And I almost thought that you were on community service for breaking some laws or such." Kaiba shrugged, "Looks like things have changed a lot in ten years."

"Not really that much. People who left eventually all came back. By the way, we could hold a reunion for you, if you want, at Yugi's place." Jounouchi suggested, "They haven't exactly heard of your return."

"Why are you being civil to me?" Kaiba finally asked.

Jounouchi blinked and shrugged, "Well, you are being civil to me too, aren't you? And I don't really want to go back to bickering like teens back in high school. We are both grown ups and I've put those behind me. Plus, I suppose I rather enjoy talking to you when we are not at each other's throat. It's fun. In fact it's more interesting than hurling insults at each other."

Kaiba blinked. "I always thought you were weird, Jounouchi."

"What did you just say?" Jounouchi stared.

"I always thought you were weird."

"No, you said my name." Jounouchi mumbled in marvel, "Wow. I better wake up from my dreams and get back to my job now before the sandman comes."

"Is that a sarcastic insult?" Kaiba folded his arms.

"No, definitely not. But I suddenly prefer the old manner of talking to you. It feels less bizarre. Talking to you is just weird." Jounouchi confessed honestly. He glanced at a leaving patient and was relieved that he had found a solution to escape talking to the CEO, "You and Kisara can go in now. It's the room at the end of the corridor with the name Doctor Po on- "

"My Blue Eyes!" A shriek from the playground diverted their attention.

"Oh my God. Seth." Jounouchi leaped to his feet and sprinted to the playground, almost knocking over Kaiba as he brushed past him.

* * *

  
It took a few moments before Kaiba ordered his feet to move and to follow Jounouchi out to the playground. Whatever happened to the boy Seth, whom he didn't know, Kaiba had a hinge that it had something to do with Kisara. All worst case scenarios ran through his head as he hurried over to face the disaster. This was way worse than the moment Yugi summoned Exodia and defeated him.

Kisara came in view and Kaiba saw that she was frenetically trying to comfort a little boy of her age. The boy was crying and was most likely the owner of the voice just now. Seth was it? Then it stuck him like a wham that the crying boy Seth strongly resembled someone he had just been talking to. He was the complete miniature of Jounouchi Katsuya.

Wait. Jounouchi had a son?!

Kaiba's eyes trailed over to Jounouchi who was kneeling by another boy and listening to the boy's frantic words. The CEO's eyes widened as he found himself staring at the exact replica of the crying boy Seth. His eyes darted to and fro between the two boys and he struggled to make his mind register.

Jounouchi had a pair of twins?!

* * *

  
**Authors' Comments:**

Thank you for the reviews! Now for some facts:

Jono and Seth's mother is not Mai, but Mai will appear sooner or later... And we will come to their mother in the next chapter... But their mother is not very important here...

Seth is the older of the two, as mentioned in this chapter. And he is approximately 3 minutes older than Jono!

I guess we all feel sorry for Seth... his blue eyes... yep, but Kisara is still cute in her own way.

Chapter 2 will be out in a while! Thanks for the support!


	4. Chapter 2: The Reunion

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions.

**Chapter 2**  


* * *

  
It was just an average evening at Puppy Love Pet Shop cum Vet. Jounouchi, sitting at his work desk, was working on his report for an up-coming cat operation while constantly flicking his attention to his two kids who were playing with puppies in the pets shop corner of the premise.

"Daddy, is it time to go yet?" Seth grumbled as he stumbled over, carrying a hyper active Golden Retriever pup in his small arms. "I want to go to Uncle Yugi's house to play."

"Yeah." Jono agreed, nodding as he hugged a purring kitten. "Uncle Yugi has got tons of toys and games. And there's Mana, Mahaado, Isis and Marik. I want to play with them."

Jounouchi felt a shiver run down his back. How Yugi had ever managed to convince Anzu to give their four children Egyptian names was beyond him. Especially the name Marik. The thought of Yugi's little boy possibly growing up to become the twisted psychotic Marik, was enough to make him cringe. But okay, names were just a means of addressing each other, right? So surely Yugi had his reasons for naming his new born Marik.

"We can go there as soon as I complete my report and the both of you clean up your toys on the floor." Jounouchi patted both their heads. He glanced at the look-through door to the pet shop, where Duel Monster toys and cards were strewn all over the floor, carelessly being stepped or pounced on by puppies.

"Seth, you left your Blue Eyes on the floor again." Jounouchi warned, "You know what happens if one of the puppies takes it for a chewy toy."

"Aw...I know." Seth pouted as he scrambled over and retrieved his prized toy.

Jounouchi smiled in amusement at how Seth treasured his little Blue Eyes. His current Blue Eyes doll was given by Kisara, yeah, Kaiba's kid. The other day at the Therapist Centre, boy had the Veterinarian been shocked and worried when he had heard and saw Seth crying. The older of the twins was a complete perfectionist, and obsessed about it. A small imperfection could send him into a fit, or worse, a seizure.

Just when Jounouchi was tentative about what to do, especially after catching sight of the 'Ultimate Dragon' and Seth's decapitated Blue Eyes, the little girl, whom Jounouchi learnt from Jono that she was Kisara Kaiba, retrieved the 'Ultimate Dragon' and gave the crying boy her own Blue Eyes, and Seth had stopped crying and looked up at Kisara in surprise.

"You can have my Blue Eyes." Kisara had said, "And I'm really sorry I tore your Blue Eyes. Are we still friends?"

A simple gesture. A diplomatic disaster avoided. The three kids smiled and started playing all over again leaving him and Kaiba to stare in wonder and shock.

"What are those?" Kaiba had then asked.

"What are-" Jounouchi frowned, "Those are _Homo sapiens_, _they_ are my kids."

While Kaiba still appeared shock over the prospect of him having children, Jounouchi had quickly taken the chance to introduce the pair.

"Seth and Jono. They are twins."

Then, afterwards, Kaiba had quickly excused himself and Kisara and took Kisara into the Therapist Centre for her appointment. And 2 hours later when Kisara's appointment was over, Jounouchi surprised himself by approaching Kaiba and inviting him over to their monthly gathering at Yugi's place.

"Jono and Seth would be happy to play with Kisara, and you could see how Yugi and the rest are doing. Mokuba can come too." The veterinarian had persuaded earnestly.

Kisara, on hearing that she could play with Jono and Seth, immediately pounced at the chance.

"We will be there, won't we, daddy?" Kisara asked eagerly, pulling on her father's crumpled trench coat.

Kaiba had muttered a light "mn" which sounded some sort like a sign of defeat to Jounouchi.

Seems like fatherhood had its effects on the once so arrogant, cold and heartless Seto Kaiba, Jounouchi mused.

"Kisara will be there too, right?"

Jono's voice interrupted Jounouchi's thoughts, pulling him back on to mother Earth.

"Yeah. She'll be there. And you can introduce her to Mahaado, Isis, Mana and Marik."

"Yep." Seth nodded happily.

"Now keep your toys, put the puppies back into their cases and go change your clothes. They are in the back in the grooming room. You don't want to smell like puppies, do you? You know how Mahaado and Isis always taunt you with that." Jounouchi informed.

"No." Seth and Jono paled at the idea of getting teased by the two younger kids and immediately did as told.

Jounouchi smiled and stared back at his report. It was going to be an eventful time at Yugi's.

* * *

  
Kaiba regretted agreeing to Jounouchi's invitation the moment Mokuba pulled in near Kame Game House. He didn't want to be there at all, meeting Yugi and the rest. He would much rather be working right then, or be back in his house, reading a novel or-

"Here we are!" Mokuba announced.

-anything other than being stuck attending the reunion party.

Yugi still lived in the same old house, Kaiba observed, but he obviously had a makeover of the house, considering it was now a more stylish and attractive house as compared to the colourful dump it had been where Kaiba first stepped into 12 years ago.

"We can go in by the back door." Mokuba motioned to the backyard of the house as they got out of the car.

"I can't wait to see Jono and Seth!" Kisara exclaimed excitedly, clutching tightly to her bulging backpack "I want to show them the Kuribo Family Uncle Mokuba got for me!"

"I got it especially for you, so just make sure you don't go around multiplying them, okay?" Mokuba cautioned, holding back the girl by her shoulder. "Promise?"

"PROMISE!" The ecstatic girl shouted at the top of her voice.

Kisara was completely delighted, Kaiba noted. She didn't care who else was at the party, as long as Jono and Seth were there. The girl had been talking about them for the whole evening the night before.

Well, at least one of them was going to enjoy the reunion party.

"It's going to be fun." Mokuba assured, sensing his brother's discomfort. "You'll enjoy it."

Kaiba scowled.

They had just reached the back door when it flew open.

"Hello! We've been waiting for you!" A pretty blonde exclaimed.

Mai Kujaku. Kaiba recognised the lady in lavender tights and a white jacket as the lady back in Battle City whom Jounouchi had duelled so valiantly with Marik to save 12 years ago.

"Come in!" Mai cheered, moving quickly out of the way so she and the three Kaibas could enter.

"Welcome back, Kaiba!" A tri-coloured hair young man sitting at the kitchen table greeted him cheerfully as Kaiba stepped into the kitchen. Kaiba studied the man and the young lady sitting beside him, her brown hair tumbling down beyond her shoulder, a baby in her arms.

For a moment, Kaiba stood dazed, wondering who they were, then it hit him that it was Yugi and his wife, Anzu. There weren't many people with tri- coloured hair in Domino City.

He observed his former opponent. Yugi had visibly grown taller, more masculine and was no longer the short 4 foot plus teenager he was when Kaiba left for the US. Taken, he was still shorter than Kaiba, who towered at over 1.8 meters, but Yugi was almost 1.7 meters now, which was great improvement in Kaiba's view.

And Anzu, she had blossomed, into a pretty, gentle little lady who now stood in her husband's embrace, holding their child.

Kaiba wasn't sure how to respond.

"Yugi, Anzu." He mumbled.

"I'm happy to see you back again. Oh, and this is Marik." Anzu introduced, holding the baby up.

Kaiba had heard about Yugi's four kids and Yugi's fetish with Egyptian names from Mokuba during the car ride. Nonetheless, naming a kid Marik sent him shivers down the back. He briefly wondered how Yugi would respond if the kid ever ask him how he got his name.

"Hello Kaiba," Two male voices sang in unison.

Kaiba turned around and swallowed. The sight that greeted him was not exactly comfy. In fact it raised goosebumps on the CEO's back. Holding hands together and glued together like two slime balls were Ryou Bakura and Hiroto Honda, and the pair was purring and stealing licks at each other at every available interval.

"Wow." The CEO looked down to see Kisara staring at the two males in awe. It was not a pretty sight he would prefer Kisara to see.

Bakura smiled, reach into his pocket and fished out a chocolate candy.

"Care to introduce your little girl, Kaiba?" The pale haired man asked as he offered the candy to Kisara.

"She's Kisara. We adopted her from Egypt 3 years ago." Kaiba answered, watching Kisara shyly reach for the candy. He just hoped that Kisara hadn't notice anything odd and wouldn't ask any strange questions like-

"Why are the two of you hugging one another?"

-this.

Kaiba could hear Anzu and Mokuba gasp in the background.

Bakura and Honda glanced at one another. Kaiba thought for an instant he saw a smirk on Bakura's face.

And then the fair white-haired male spoke, "Well, I don't know, Kisara. What says you, Kaiba? Your daughter wants an answer."

Kaiba opened his mouth, but not to speak but rather, his jaw dropped at the idea of having to explain something this complicated and edgy to Kisara.

Kisara looked up at her father expectantly.  


* * *

  
"We're late. Yugi's gonna kill us." Jounouchi grumbled as he slammed his car door closed.

"He won't. He never does." Shizuka insisted. "And it is your fault since your car broke down."

"It wouldn't have if I didn't have to wait outside Otogi's place for one whole hour!" Jounouchi protested. "And just what were the two of you doing anyway, wasting an hour of my time."

Otogi, who had been silent the whole while perked up at the last sentence. Shizuka looked away blushing while Otogi gave Jounouchi a wink.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Forget it; I don't really want to know."

His sister had been dating Otogi for a while, since...since... he remembered but he didn't want to think about it. It was too scary a memory.

Seth and Jono were bouncing happily behind him, eager to be seeing Kisara again.

Kisara.

Kaiba's kid.

Kaiba.

Back in Domino City.

And that proved his theory right, the city never changed. Everyone who left eventually came back. Anzu, who had left for her dream, came back. His mother, after Shizuka's persuasion, came back. And finally, Kaiba came back. It was as if the city had a natural magnetic force, or some sort of a charm.

The house was a bit silent, wasn't it? Jounouchi thought as he approached the house. It normally bustled with life, especially on nights like this when they held their monthly gathering.

'MOKU'

Mokuba's black Hyundai Matrix parked at the road side caught his eye.

So, Kaiba did come after all. He had somehow wished deep down that Kaiba would not show up at all. He really could not imagine the situation in the house. Would it be tense and uncomfortable? Or a happy and casual reunion? Well, only one way to find out – step into the house.

Jounouchi crossed his fingers and hoped that the silence wasn't because of Kaiba.  


* * *

  
"Well, Kaiba?" Bakura teased.

"Daddy?" Kisara asked; her eyes round and innocent.

Kaiba could see from the corner of his eye, Anzu and Mokuba were open- mouthed, wanting to help but having no solutions. Mai was trying very hard to stifle a laughing fit. Yugi, sitting beside Anzu, was completely composed, though his eyes were challenging Kaiba for an answer.

Damn, Kaiba cursed silently, this was worse than his first board meeting when he took over Kaiba Corp.

Kaiba started nervously. "I-"

The back door leading to the backyard burst open and in tumbled a pair of twins, their father, their aunt and their aunt's boyfriend.

"Jounouchi, Shizuka and Otogi!" Anzu quickly interrupted. "I thought you said you were going to reach early."

"We were going to, but the car broke down." Jounouchi said wryly and shot a glare at Otogi.

The other young man shrugged and returned a sheepish grin.

Kisara on seeing Seth and Jono immediately ran to them, her question momentarily forgotten.

As far as Kaiba had to admit, Jounouchi had saved him in a way, not that Jounouchi knew what he had done though, and Kaiba wasn't about to thank him, which probably would just remind Kisara about her pending answer.

"Where are Mahaado and the rest?" Mokuba asked Yugi, "Surely the kids would love to play with one another."

As if on cue, the kitchen door opened again and in scampered two little kids, their cheeks flushed red, laughing and shouting with a Grandfather Sugoroku smiling behind, in his arms a smiling toddler squirmed and giggled.

"Oh. You are all here!" The elderly man welcomed. "Kaiba, nice to have you back in Domino City!"

Kaiba wasn't sure if the aged grandfather really meant what he said, considering 12 years ago he had tore up the old man's prized Blue Eyes White Dragon.

"Thank you." He managed to mumble.

"They were always talking about you, wondering how you were doing." The old man added. "At every single gathering since they started the tradition six years ago."

Kaiba didn't know whether to feel flattered or embarrassed. He decided he would just shut his mouth.

"We've missed you." Anzu confessed. Yugi nodded in agreement.

Kaiba gave a small smile in acknowledgment, though feeling really uncomfortable about where the conversation was headed. If they were all going to wind up telling each other how much they had missed each other and stuff like that for the rest of the time here, he would have preferred his high school role as the arrogant and remote CEO who cared nothing about friendship. Fortunately, the topic was quickly shifted from Kaiba's return to Mokuba and his absence at their reunion.

"Mokuba." Jounouchi ribbed, throwing one arm freely over the young Kaiba's shoulder. "You haven't been coming to our gatherings."

Mokuba smiled sheepishly. "I've been busy for the past 2 years. School, work and everything. But hey, I'm getting my doctorate next year, after that I will have more free time to come."

"Really? I'd think you prefer spending more of your quality time with your ladies rather than with us, your old playboy mates?" Honda taunted from the other end of the room.

"Alright!" Mokuba admitted defeat. "I'll come regularly, and if I have to, I'll bring my ladies along!"

Woof whistles from Otogi and Jounouchi were added to the lively, cheerful atmosphere.

"Watch out Kaiba! With your brother around, you might mind some strange woman lying beside you in the morning in some crazy bedroom mix up!" Honda hollered from the other end.

Even Kaiba had to smile.

Everyone was laughing, or smiling, completely comfortable and natural. For a moment, Kaiba was surprised that he felt like he was part of the group. He realised that he did not feel as uncomfortable as he had previously imagined. Everyone was just normal. They weren't predominantly nice towards him or particularly harsh at him either. They weren't trying to make him feel fit in. They were simply acting as they usually did back in high school, when during some break the Yugi gang would hang out together in the classroom while he typed away on his laptop or read a book, except here it was Mokuba-inclusive and he could join in the conversations any time he wanted.

The thing was- he didn't feel unwanted, extra or that he was an intruder or outsider.

Perhaps coming to the reunion wasn't such a bad idea. Perhaps coming back to Domino City was the right choice after all.

"Daddy?" Kisara's tugging on his pants worked like gravity, zooming him and his attention back onto Earth.

"Yes, Kisara?"

"Can I go upstairs with Mahaado, Isis, Jono and Seth? Isis says they have lots of toys!"

Kaiba frowned and glanced over at Yugi's two kids whom he had previously forgotten.

"Oh, this is Mahaado," Anzu quickly introduced, referring to a little boy playing with Seth and Jono, with brown shoulder length hair.

"And this is Isis." Yugi quipped as Isis, a sweet-looking little girl plopped down into his lap

"Mahaado is 4 and Isis is 3 years old." Grandfather Sugoroku added. "And this sweetest little girl I have here is Mana. She's one and a half year old."

If Kaiba had to describe them, he would say that Mahaado was the chibi version of Black Magician. Had he been wearing the purple drapes and the hat that the magician always wore, the kid would have made a perfect miniature of Black Magician. He glanced at Mana and noticed that the girl bared a striking resemblance to Black Magician Girl too.

Just where did Yugi get his kids?

"Let Kisara play with them. I'm sure they will enjoy playing together." Anzu persuaded.

"Please please please please, daddy?" Kisara pleaded. "I'll be good, I promise. I won't multiply Kuribos or fuse dragons or anything like that. Please, daddy!"

"Only if you promise not to-" Kaiba warned.

"I know! Can I go now?" Kisara begged.

"Go." Kaiba finally said.

Kaiba shook his head resignedly as Kisara dashed off with the twins and Yugi's two older kids.

Kaiba spent the next 5 minutes or so observing the remaining adults. Sugoroku was proudly showing off his younger granddaughter Mana to Shizuka, Otogi and Mai. Bakura and Honda had taken to feeding each other with cakes, which somehow accidentally-on-purpose landed and smeared all over them. Kaiba then speculated silently as they started to lick each other up, oblivious to his, Yugi and Anzu's stares.

"Kisara, quite a handful, isn't she?" Yugi finally asked, diverting Kaiba's attention from the smooching pair, "Jou told me about that ultimate dragon she summoned."

Kaiba couldn't help but give a light chuckle. The Ultimate Dragon was a pretty amusing incident. He had no doubt that Kisara's creativity would help him tremendously in designing new games for Kaiba Corp in the future. "Yeah, she's a little brat."

"So, have you thought of which school you're sending her to?" Anzu asked.

"I've been thinking about it." Kaiba admitted, sitting down across Yugi and Anzu. "But-"

He paused. He had been thinking about it. He wanted to send Kisara to a normal primary school. But, back at the Therapy Centre that day, Doctor Po had causally commented that it might be difficult to enrol Kisara into a normal school, considering her hyper-active condition.

Doctor Po had recommended putting Kisara on Ritalin if Kaiba insisted on sending Kisara to a normal school.

"The medication would reduce her activity level and decrease impulsivity. Many other children like her are also on this medication. There are definitely side effects but I see no harm in letting her try for a short period and monitor her reaction to the medicine." The young doctor had said.

Kaiba had heard these statements for so many times he could mouth it in his mind.

"Not in a million years," He had snapped at the young doctor, before going into an angry rampage on how he wanted no drugs to be given to his daughter and how he wanted his daughter to be treated.

At the end of the two-hour session, it seemed like he had been the one doing more of the talking, and the young lady was visibly shaken at his outburst.

"But?" Yugi echoed.

"I'm sending Seth and Jono to a special school." Jounouchi interrupted as he sat down abruptly beside Kaiba.

Kaiba frowned. He hadn't realized that Jounouchi had been listening to their conversation, which in truth had only gone as far as one and a half sentence.

"I've heard that Kisara is hyperactive." Anzu remarked. "Maybe you would like to send Kisara to the same school as Jono and Seth. After all, they are already friends and would enjoy each other's company."

Was Anzu going to lapse into another of her Friendship speeches? Kaiba was almost repugnant at that. He was never so glad when Baby Marik started crying over a wet diaper, forcing Anzu to leave the conversation, with Mai following her to help.

"I want her in a normal school." Kaiba muttered absently. Then his mind went back to the Jounouchi's last statement.

"You're sending Seth and Jono to a special school?" He questioned brusquely.

"Yeah." Jounouchi replied, somewhat surprised at the question, as if everyone should have expected it. Then, the realisation set in. "Right, you don't know yet. Seth and Jono are both, erm, not normal. Seth has OCD and Jono has Dyslexia..."

"Your twins have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Dyslexia..." Kaiba repeated.

Jounouchi frowned as Kaiba smirked.

"Something wrong with your genes, mutt?" The CEO mocked.

As Kaiba expected, Jounouchi immediately shot back, "At least it's not as flawed as your brains! You want to send your kid to a normal school knowing she would never make it?"

Yugi raised his brows.

That was so good a rebut Kaiba almost forgot to return the insult. "How I take care of my daughter is none of a mutt's business. And Kisara has a higher intelligence than those puppies of yours whom in your words would never make it."

Kaiba could see Jounouchi flare out, his hands curling into fists. "Watch your mouth and use your eyes, Kaiba. I have a name and it is Katsuya Jounouchi. And my kids are not puppies!"

Boy, this was getting fun - the bickering and getting Jounouchi furious. The whole point was, Kaiba did it purposely. He had wanted to have an argument with Jounouchi since the day they met back in the Therapist Centre.

"I see you've finally mastered the art of arguing in structured sentences after10 years?" Kaiba taunted.

"Kaiba, I don't want to quarrel with you right now." Jounouchi snapped.

How disappointing. He was really in the mood for a good verbal fight, in other words, he wanted to hurl insults at someone, and that someone was Jounouchi, his high school nemesis.

"You are the weird guy, Kaiba." Jounouchi muttered bitterly. "First you come back to Domino City for god knows what reason, then you plop down at the Therapist Centre and act like a civic man. Now, you surprisingly showed up at our reunion party and suddenly start getting all insultive."

"Great observation skills, mutt. In that case, I will raise your status from a homeless dog to a pound dog. And for your vocabulary, there's no such word as 'insultive'." Kaiba retorted, reluctant to end the argument. He definitely had been enjoying it.

"Look, I want to talk about your daughter, for serious." Jounouchi declared, glaring straight into Kaiba's eye

Damn, my language is losing its potency, that or Jounouchi had learnt to neutralize it, Kaiba fumed inwardly.

"Fine, what do you want to talk about?" Kaiba folded his arms, reverting back to professionalism.

"I read your daughter's file. Dr Po asked me to talk to you." The shorter man stated blandly, his fingers tapping the table impatiently.

"If it is anything about putting her on Ritalin and Aderall, we are ending this conversation." Kaiba put in bluntly.

"What is wrong with putting Kisara on medication?" Jounouchi questioned. "There is a very high chance of those medicines curing your daughter completely of her hyperactivity. If there is just one drug which can do that for Seth and Jono, I'll have them on it right away!"

"And have they end up as drug junkies 10 years down the road?" Kaiba followed on dryly.

Jounouchi looked at him in feigned shock. By this time, the others were also crowding around to hear the conversation.

"I can't believe you still think like some thousand year old cave-aged barbarian!"  


* * *

  
"And I summon Barbarian #2 in attack mode onto the field with Barbarian #1! And because the field is grassland, my Barbarians get to increase their attack points to 5 stars " Kisara declared as she picked the soft toy out of Isis's toy box and plopped it into a square on the map.

"Aw... Tis really your first time playing?" Seth asked as he and his twin stared in wonder.

"Yep!" Kisara beamed. It was her first time playing such an interesting game, and she was getting the upper hand. "Your turn, Mahaado."

Mahaado frowned as he inspected the field. His intelligent four year old mind could not figure how Kisara, a first-time player could push him this far at a game his daddy invented.

He had a Black Magician on the field; Kisara had two Barbarians and a Baby Dragon. The Barbarians, though weak alone, could work together and remove his Black Magician in the next round. He glanced into his box. He still had one Black Magician Girl in it, but in this game, one monster could only be summoned or used to attack in one round. In other words, he could summon Black Magician Girl now, but Black Magician Girl would not be able to attack in this round. Black Magician could attack one Barbarian this round, but he knew Kisara had a Raise Dead Ankh toy in her box and would raise the monster from the cemetery to attack his Black Magician in her turn.

Mahaado bit his lips nervously. He didn't want to lose to Kisara; there must be a way... Then, the plastic sword in his box caught his eyes.

"Sealing Swords of Light!" He practically shouted in joy as he stuck the sword onto one of Kisara's Barbarians. Now Kisara's monsters couldn't attack for a full three turns!

"And I summon Black Magician Girl with 6 stars to the field in attack mode, and Black Magician, 7 stars, attack!" The ecstatic boy picked up his Black Magician toy and used it to sweep Kisara's Barbarian #1 across the floor into a corner of the room.

Now it was Kisara's turn to frown. She didn't have any magic effect toys like Hurricane or Cyclone in her box to get rid of the Sealing Swords of Light. In fact she didn't have any magic effect toys left except for the Raise Dead Ankh. She had used nine of them up earlier in the game. Moreover she was only left with 5 star points from previous attacks by Mahaado. With Black Magician attacking her Barbarian in attack mode, her life point was left with 3 stars.

"Your turn, Kisara." Mahaado reminded as he thought about his strategy.

"I summon Mystical Elf, 6 stars, in defence mode and change all of my monsters on the field to defend mode." Kisara moaned as she reached to flip the soft toys over onto their faces.

"My turn! I summon Demon Summon onto the field in attack mode. Black Magician girl and Black Magician, attack Mystical elf and Barbarian #2!" Mahaado declared happily. There was no way Kisara could possibly make a come back now.

"I'm losing..." Kisara grumbled. "I'll win you next time. I'm getting Daddy to make me a playroom like this." She knew it was hopeless even to summon anymore monsters onto the field. Mahaado would destroy all of her monsters this turn and she would still lose. The younger boy had earlier explained how the game was played:

"We each take a box and collect 20 monsters and 10 magic effect toys. Then we set 2 monsters on any place you want on the floor. As you can see, our playroom floor is a map with hills, rivers, grassland and everything. The field can increase the monsters' attack star points, which I have already memorized, and you can learn as you watch me and Seth and Jono play. We start with life points of 20, and 2 monsters on the field.... The game ends when one player has finished up all his life point star chips or when he has no monsters on the field or when he has no more toys in his box."

Kisara had then gone on to watch Mahaado defeat the twins easily. Quickly understanding the game, she had immediately challenged Mahaado to a duel.

"Aw. This game is difficult," Kisara complained as she watched Mahaado in his turn, destroy her remaining Baby Dragon and win the game.

"It'z not difficult... It needs stra...strage...staragedy..." Isis, 3 years old, struggled with the word.

"It's strategy, Isis." Mahaado helped his little sister.

"It needs combos between the monsters and magic effect toys. You used up your magic effect toys too early." Mahaado pointed out.

"Can we play some other game?" Jono asked. It was fun watching Kisara and Mahaado play, but still considerably boring as compared to playing themselves.

"We've already gone through all the games in the room, and you didn't like them, Jono." Mahaado stated matter-of-factly.

"You have too many word games." Jono protested.

"Can we just play with my dolls?" Isis asked timidly.

"I don't want to play with dolls." Kisara lowered her head in thought, and then she suddenly perked up. "I know! I'll show you something!"

"What?" The three boys stuck their heads near eagerly while Isis watched quietly.

"I'll special summon the Winged Dragon of Ra's secret special effect - God Phoenix!" Kisara announced triumphantly.

Jono and Mahaado's eyes grew real big.

Seth bit his lips and sat down beside Isis on the mat. He had a feeling that whatever Kisara was going to show them, it was not going to be a very pretty sight.

* * *

  
"I can't believe you still think like some thousand year old caveman! Ninety percent of children suffering from ADHD take Ritalin and Aderall-"

"For the mutt's information, I know more about these drugs than you know the hair on your head!" Kaiba slammed back the insults at Jounouchi. "Ritalin and Aderall are both psychiatric medications, in other words, stimulants. These stimulants drastically and permanently change brain chemistry. If you have no idea what that means, mutt, it means that these medicine kills the brain cells, which you don't have to worry about, since you have none! Stimulants not only impair growth by suppressing appetite but also disrupt growth hormone production. If you need further explanation that means Kisara would probably only grow up to a maximum height of 4 feet, which is what your friend here Yugi was!"

Yugi opened his mouth, as if about to say something but was immediately cut off by Kaiba who barged on with his irate rampage, "These drugs also cause psychiatric problems. They cause depression and may even possibly, break down a child's emotional control. If Kisara is placed on these medications, she will end up with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder by the time she's nine! This, will lead to more so called medications. And those things are addictive, for god's sakes! I wouldn't expect a mutt like you to know that they are placed under the same Schedule II category as methamphetamine, cocaine, as the most potent opiates and barbiturates by the Drug Enforcement Administration."

By the end of his lengthy speech, everyone was in the kitchen was staring at him astonished, except for Jounouchi who turned away, seemingly refusing to even look at him.

As astonished as they were, Kaiba could swear that all of the Yugi gang and even Mokuba had a smile on their faces.

"We all knew this was coming." Yugi laughed. "The two of you can't stay in the same room without trying to tear each other apart at least once."

"Yeah." Honda agreed, "That so reminds me of our high school times."

"Chill it, Brother." Mokuba grinned. "You're almost like Jounouchi set your tail on-"

"FIRE!!!!" A sharp shriek from upstairs interrupted whatever Mokuba was about to say.

* * *

  
Jounouchi was the first to jump to his feet. That was Anzu screaming from upstairs.

Fire? Why would the house suddenly be on fire? His heart was racing as he rushed up the stairs, taking 3 steps at a go. He could feel Kaiba right behind him, the overly-protective father. Kaiba was so near Jounouchi thought he felt Kaiba's warm breathe on his neck, he thought he could smell Kaiba, an aroma of a mixture of starch and cinnamon, so near-

Wait, what was he thinking? Now was no time to think about Kaiba and why was he even thinking about him in the first place?! Right, Anzu screamed fire. He didn't smell fire. That must mean the fire wasn't that big yet. Were the kids burnt? Did they start the fire? He only hoped the kids weren't involved with it.

Jounouchi burst into the playroom. The faint smell of smoke lingered in the room while the sight of five wide-eyed children; a hysterical mother frozen like a statue, a brave Mai Kujaku who had put out the fire with the curtains, and a barbequed Winged Dragon of Ra lying in a crisped waste basket greeted him.

"Are the kids alright?" Jounouchi and Kaiba both asked in unison. Yugi peered in behind the two taller men.

"Yes." Mai replied as she inspected the kids.

"We're fine." Kisara piped.

"Explain, Kisara. What were you trying to do this time?" Kaiba demanded, cringing as he eyed the ashen doll which once was the doll version of the mighty God card monster.

"It was awesome!" Mahaado interrupted, truly impressed.

Jono immediately joined in, his eyes twinkling, "Yeah. Kisara special summoned the Winged Dragon of Ra's secret special effect: God Phoenix! It was really burning and everything!"

"That's it?" Jounouchi asked. "You were trying to summon the God Phoenix so you set the doll on fire?"

"I just wanted to make it burn like they show on TV." Kisara whispered quietly, "I didn't mean to burn anything...."

Jounouchi chuckled and then burst into fits of laughter. He didn't know why, but it just felt so funny all of a sudden. The kid's sense of creativity rocked! It was not like everyday a six year old kid would try to summon a God Phoenix.

"Kisara. You are grounded." Kaiba informed sternly, "You are not allowed to play with matches, are you?"

Kisara lowered her head, repentant. "Sorry...daddy."

Jono and Mahaado bit their lips, then Jono piped in, "Well, it's not entirely Kisara's fault. Mahaado and I were the ones who got the matches for Kisara."

Jounouchi shrugged, "It's alright. No one got hurt or burnt anything really important. But now you know why you shouldn't play with fire, don't you?"

The five kids nodded fervently.

Yugi inspected the damage, "Well, we can clean up everything later. Only the doll was burnt so it's alright. Thanks, Mai, for putting out the fire."

"Don't worry about it, it was nothing." The blonde lady gave a playful smirk. "Now shouldn't we be going down for some drinks and talk?"

"Kisara and I are leaving." Kaiba announced as he grabbed Kisara's hand and made a bee line for the stairs to the ground floor.

"Now? This early?" Yugi called out behind him as the group followed the CEO down.

"Weren't we in a middle of a conversation or argument?" Jounouchi reminded as they reached the back door. Despite Kaiba's attitude towards him just now, it had been fun bickering with him. It reminded him of the old days in high school which had made up most of the enjoyable time in his life, not counting the times with Jono and Seth.

"Not now, mu –Jou." Kaiba responded as he stuffed Kisara's feet into her Heelys.

Jounouchi was surprised at how Kaiba's addressed him, and then figured that the other father had been conscious not to affront him before his kids.

"Well." Mokuba shrugged as he searched his pocket for car keys, "Looks like we'll be leaving. We'll be here again for the next reunion."

"You don't have to leave." Yugi persuaded, "If you are concerned with the fire, it really is alright."

"No." Kaiba shook his head, "We have to leave, or Kisara would never learn her lesson." He paused, looked away briefly then back at his former opponent, "Thanks for the invitation. We enjoyed it."

"Then join us again next month." Jounouchi poked his head through the door way beside Yugi and watched Mokuba herd a very reluctant Kisara into the car.

"I'll consider." Kaiba gave a smirk which Jounouchi had no idea if were a sarcastic or playful one, "I wouldn't for my life miss a chance to watch a mutt raise his puppies."

Jounouchi scowled. Fortunately Seth and Jono were out of ear shot. Kaiba had probably seen to that before insulting him.

"Whatever." He gave a low mutter and turned back into the house.

If that was how Kaiba was going to act in the following days to come, he was fine with it. It took two to play the game.

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

17 pages on Microsoft word... that's why we spent an awfully long amount of time on this...editing, re-editing for countless times until we were both perfectly happy with it. We even thought of splitting the chapter into 2.

Mahaado is 4 years old. He might appear smarter than other 4 years old kids with his ability to strategize and play the game above, but it is more of because he had been playing this game since he was born. It's an introductory game to Duel Monsters using toys and no equivalent of trap cards that Yugi supposedly came up with

Heelys are the shoes with wheels! Not rollerblades but small wheels attached to the heels of the sport shoes.

Kaiba launched a whole essay on Ritalin and Aderall. These are real medications used in curing ADHD, but Kaiba is pretty extreme in stating his facts here. The side effects vary for each child.

Still, thank you for all your supports!

miyabi: it feels real good to be 3 minutes older! I'm 3 minutes older than mayu! _hugs Seth_

We haven't come up with the full plot yet, so if anyone has any ideas to share, just write it in the reviews or email us. Thank you!


	5. Chapter 3: School Enrollment

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 3**  


* * *

  
"Seth, Jono! Come on, let's go! We don't want to be late for school enrollment, do we?" Jounouchi pleaded, standing in the doorway of Puppy Love opening an umbrella.

Two little boys hollered from the grooming room,

"But we don't wanna go to school!"

"Come on." Jounouchi rolled his eyes; they were going to be late. So much for a first impression. "You'll have fun when you make friends. And we are just enrolling into the school today, not schooling."

"No." Two miserable voices replied in unison.

Jounouchi signed. Expected.

This was worse then bringing them to nursery school and kindergarten, which he had promptly gave up after two weeks of trying. Seth and Jono were somewhat unsociable compared to normal kids. Being twins, they had each other and were contented to play alone with each other. Making friends was of no significance to the two, especially to Seth who was the shyer of the pair. Though Jono was relatively bolder, he seldom approached other kids unless they befriended him first. To make matters worse, Seth and Jono had been taunted by normal kids before, for their disorders. Socializing, schooling and such were the last things they liked.

Nevertheless, Jounouchi had noted with amazement that towards Kisara, the two boys were friendly and responsive.

"If the two of you don't come out right now, you're not watching Hamtaro for the next two weeks!" Jounouchi resolved to threatening, an approach he usually despised using.

Seconds later, two very reluctant boys came out pouting.

"Do we really, really have to go to school?" Jono pleaded as he and Seth twisted their fingers around each others'.

"It's a special school." Jounouchi knelt down and ruffled their hair, "The teachers there are specially trained and they will help you in any problem you have. It will be different from the nursery school and kindergarten."

"But, the other kids would laugh at us." Seth insisted, his brown eyes filling up with tears as memories of the ordeal flooded him again. Jounouchi knew that the sensitive boy still had nightmares of being bullied frequently.

"No they won't." Jounouchi promised, "The children there are taught to be friendly and nice. You'll make new friends; learn your ABCs and do math."

Seth and Jono were still visible reluctant.

The Veterinarian signed again. This was more difficult than he had hoped. He looked at his sister. Some help please?

"Seth, Jono? Why don't you go to the school and take a tour around first? You might find some things you like." Shizuka suggested, struggling to come up with a convincing scheme, "They might have really big Red Eyes and Blue Eyes statues in the play yard."

"They do?" Jono's eyes widened with hope. Seth was doubtful.

"Well, who know?" Jounouchi added quickly, "Uncle Yugi recommended the school, so he must have discovered something nice there. So do you still not want to go?"

"I wanna go!" Jono responded.

Jounouchi looked at the Seth. His other son was still reluctant, he knew, having been teased so miserably in nursery school back then for his obsession with reading. Then he watched in wonder and incredulity as Jono wrapped his hand protectively around his brother's hand.

"We'll just go for a while, Seth?" Jono persuaded. "And if anyone calls us names I'll beat him flat!"

"Alright." Seth signed and gave in, "Just for a little while."

Jounouchi smiled as he sheltered his two sons through the rain to his car. His twin sons always astonished him with their affection towards each other. It was a bond greater than the connection between he and Shizuka, and he had no doubt that it was stronger than the brotherly love between the Kaiba brothers.

* * *

  
"This is the song that doesn't eeeeeeeeeend...

"And it goes on and on, my frieeeeeeeeeeeeeend....

"Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it for ever just because this is the..."

Inside his car, pulling into the school's car park, Kaiba was having a massive headache. He shouldn't have stayed up till so late the previous night, but he had been surfing the net for schools for Kisara, wanting the best for her. Then the morning had started off awry with an unexpected merge between two rivalry companies that resulted in the sharp drop of Kaiba Corp's shares in the Stocks Market. He and Mokuba had settled the problem, but now he was exhausted, and Kisara's singing in the back of the car was not helping.

Even as he parked the car and sheltered Kisara with an umbrella towards the school building, he had the nagging feeling that the song's silly lyrics would be stuck on his mind for the rest of the day.

"Now, Kisara, you remember what to do when you see the principal?" Kaiba reminded as they neared the office.

Little Kisara rolled her eyes, "Yes daddy. I'll greet her and not stick my tongue at her. I remember."

"Mr Kaiba?" A petite young lady greeted.

"Mm." Kaiba nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'm Miss Yamato. Our principal Madam Momiko is talking to another parent. Would you mind waiting for a while?" The lady introduced as she led the two Kaibas to a seat outside where Kaiba deemed as the principal's office.

Kaiba snorted. His meeting with the Principal was supposedly to be at noon, and now it was noon. He loathed people who could not keep track of their time and troubled others.

"Does it help if I mind? So far I'm not very impressed with your school." The CEO snapped as Kisara plopped down onto the couch beside him.

"I apologise. The previous parent arrived late." The petite lady explained, and then hurriedly left. Kaiba understood that his presence always intimidated people, especially those whom he was responsible for their pay check. It was a mutual understanding that if Kaiba did enrol Kisara into the school, the school's funds would be greatly financed by Kaiba Corp.

Kaiba closed his eyes hoping for a moment's peace as Kisara bounced enthusiastically on the seat beside him.

"I'm gonna make so many friends!!!" the little girl declared.

Kaiba signed. The overly-amiable girl had been screeching that since Kaiba told her about enrolling her in school the day before. Trust some Therapist to advise him that Kisara needed to practice her social skills. Kisara had befriended every single employee in Kaiba Land Japan the first day Kaiba brought her there.

"Can you keep quiet for a moment, Kisara?" Kaiba winced as his head pounded away.

"NO!" Kisara shouted.

"Stop bouncing." Kaiba ordered strictly as he pulled the bouncing girl down beside him. "You're messing up your hair."

Kisara grinned back at him. "My front teeth are loose."

"I know." Kaiba muttered as he pulled the rubber bands off Kisara's hair, fished a comb out of his trench coat pocket and started retying Kisara's ponytails. "They will probably fall off by themselves in a day or two."

Kaiba had just finished tying Kisara's hair when the principal's office door swung open.

"Thank you, Mr. Jounouchi. I will contact you again regarding your sons' enrolment..."

Kaiba perked up at the name Jounouchi.

Standing in the doorway, was the mutt, with his hands on the twins' shoulders. Beside him stood a middle-aged lady who seemingly over-dressed for the occasion in Kaiba's view.

"Kisara!" The gloomy twins lightened up immediately on seeing Kisara.

"Seth, Jono!" Kisara sprung up instantly and ran over.

"Kaiba." Jounouchi remarked.

"Oh, it's you, Mr Kaiba." The middle-aged lady immediately brightened up, "Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm the principal, Momiko. Do please, come in."

"I should have guessed Yugi would recommend this school to you too." Kaiba replied dryly, disregarding the principal.

"I thought someone was sending his gifted daughter to a normal school." Jounouchi retorted.

"I heard they provide pet therapy here." Kaiba answered sarcastically.

"Mr Kaiba, do please come in. Would you like tea or something?" The principal interrupted.

Kaiba threw a quick glare at the principal. He didn't particularly enjoy people who made him wait and then interrupt him as he spoke.

Jounouchi ignored Kaiba's last comment and turned back to the principal. "You were saying just now, when will I know that the kids are enrolled or not?"

"Actually we only have a few places left. We will inform you about the selections when we finished with all the interviews today." The principal replied impatiently.

Kaiba frowned.

"Your website stated that enrolment was on a first-come first serve basis." He interjected.

"Well... yes of course, Mr Kaiba, but that also depends on the case...We usually don't accept children of single parents..." The principal replied hesitantly.

Jounouchi was a single parent?

That was something new. Mokuba had never mentioned that to him in the past 4 weeks he had been in Domino City. And, Jounouchi had never mentioned anything about his wife during the reunion party. Then again, the reunion party had barely started when he left.

"You got a problem with single parents?" Kaiba questioned irately, reminding the principal that Kaiba himself was also one.

"Oh, but you are different. Mr Kaiba." The principal quickly reasoned.

"How so? Because I have the money to fund your school and he doesn't" Kaiba threatened.

At that, Jounouchi opened his mouth and was about to say something, but Kaiba motioned for him to stay silent.

"I-" The principal started

"If your school is going to teach children about being prejudiced, then I see no point in enrolling my child into your school." Kaiba stated pointedly.

The principal stood there, shocked.

Finally she said. "I understand, Mr Kaiba."

Then she turned to Jounouchi, "I'm sorry about my attitude to you earlier. The school welcomes your children completely to join us in our curriculum at the start of the term."

Jounouchi was completely rooted there, seemingly at a lost of words at the past proceedings.

"Forgot your manners, mutt?" Kaiba mocked. The kid were too busy chatting away to hear him.

"Kaiba, I..." Jounouchi trailed off.

Kaiba waited to see what Jounouchi was about to say but the shorter man had paused there. Then all Jounouchi did was to turn to the principal and thank her.

Kaiba frowned.

"Now please, Mr Kaiba, I believe the office would be a more comfortable room for discussions." The principal prompted.

As much as Kaiba wanted to intimidate Jounouchi into telling him what he was saying before he trailed off, there wasn't much time left in his appointment slot. The next parents had arrived with their kid and sat at the couch, waiting for their turn.

Whatever Jounouchi was about to say would have to wait. Kaiba called for Kisara and the two followed the principal into the office.

* * *

  
Jounouchi was left standing outside the principal office in a daze.

Seto Kaiba helped me? He actually threatened the principal into letting my boys into the school?

There was no reason for Kaiba to do it, at all, Jounouchi thought. In fact, there would be more reason for Kaiba to taunt him about his single parent status and why his kids couldn't get into the school.

The guy sure was weird.

The sweetly young lady, Miss Yamato who had earlier greeted them appeared from out of nowhere.

"So, how did it go? Were you accepted?" She asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah." Jounouchi replied hesitantly.

"Great!" She exclaimed. "Our school truly welcomes you and your two sons to our great family.

Jounouchi doubted that. His sons got into the school through Kaiba's threat.

"Would you like to have a tour of the school and its facilities? It's raining but we can still look at the indoor facilities." The kindly young lady offered as Seth and Jono hopped over beside their father.

"Daddy, can we wait for Kisara?" Seth asked.

"Yeah," Jono added. "Can we tour the school with her? That way, Miss Tomato won't have to do the tour twice."

"It's Yamato, Jono." Jounouchi quickly reminded, giving the smiling teacher a sheepish look.

"Can we? Please!? The twins pleaded.

Jounouchi wasn't too sure about it. He didn't want to see Kaiba... the guy freaked him out with every move. But he needed to thank him for getting the twins into the school.

Before he could say another word, the principal office's door swung open and out stepped Kaiba and the principal, Kisara behind them.

"Thank you, Mr Kaiba. We would gladly welcome your daughter into our school." The principal welcomed earnestly.

Jounouchi watched as the principal stuck her hand out and embarrassed herself completely when Kaiba promptly ignored the handshake, turning instead to...him.

Kisara had left her father's side to join the boys again and share their interview experiences.

Jounouchi had no idea how to respond as Kaiba strolled over to him smugly, stopping one step away from him.

"Waiting for your master, mutt?" Kaiba whispered into his ear.

Jounouchi felt himself flare. Venom was threatening to spill out of his throat as he took a step away from Kaiba. I am NOT a MUTT! He wanted to yell into the face of the arrogant CEO for the millionth time in his life. Nonetheless, he restrained himself. Not in front of the kids.

"I was just waiting to thank you." He replied calmly. "And Seth and Jono would like to tour the school with Kisara."

"Even your puppies know who their master is." Kaiba's reply came in a whisper. But the tone sounded so playful that Jounouchi wasn't sure how to respond. Was his former classmate being friendly or nasty? He couldn't tell. If this was how the man considered friendly, he sure had queer sense of sociality.

"Whatever." The Veterinarian finally muttered and indicated that Miss Yamato could lead the way.

The three munchkins scrambled out of the office behind the petite lady with the two parents following them.

Then, Jounouchi watched in utter awkwardness as Seth and Jono squealed with delight and ran ahead, jumping into every single puddle they could find along the corridor. Damn, he was trying to make a professional impression. He had no doubt Kaiba and Miss Yamato were wondering what kind of parent he was to let his kids play in puddles. But it had been a routine thing they did since young. Jounouchi had always brought the kids out on rainy days, just to let them run in the rain and jump into puddles, of course with them wearing a raincoat. Kids loved playing in the rain.

"Daddy? Can I play like them too?" A very envious Kisara tugged on Kaiba's trench coat.

Kaiba appeared staggered. Jounouchi was surprised when he replied yes and Kisara went bouncing off to join Seth and Jono.

The petite teacher led them past a few classrooms and through a few turns.

"And this is our indoors play gym." She introduced.

Wow!" Kisara, Seth and Jono stared at the fortress shaped as a castle. It was more than tempting.

"Can we play in it?" Kisara was the first to beg. Seth and Jono stared at the petite lady, not speaking but their large hopeful eyes said the same.

"Well." Miss Yamato started, her defences against the three cute little kids apparently crumbling. "Alright. I suppose it's okay if it's for a short while."

"Yippee!" The three kids scampered off to the playground and immediately started a game of catch.

Jounouchi shrugged and sat down on a bench. He watched absently as their guide chatted to Kaiba for a few moments before excusing herself.

He turned his attention back to the kids. Kisara was showing something to Seth and Jono, her mouth. Oh, loose teeth, Jounouchi noted as the little girl wiggled her two front teeth. It was about time Seth and Jono's front teeth came loose too. It was fortunate that his two boys weren't afraid of loosing their teeth, like Shizuka had been. He had a hard time convincing Shizuka that the tooth was ready to come off during her first loose tooth back then.

A sudden presence beside him rocketed him back to the present. Kaiba had sat down beside him and was staring at the kids too, while keeping an eye on Kisara.

"Where is their mother?" The CEO turned to him and asked abruptly.

Jounouchi spent five seconds pondering whether if he should be surprised at the CEO's sudden friendliness. Kaiba had been startling him since he returned, talking to him for an instant, and then hurling insults at him next. Had Kaiba developed split personalities? The veterinarian wondered. Deciding that since Kaiba had helped him in the enrolment of the boys, he should return an answer.

"She came one day, thrust the kids to me and then left. Never saw her again."

"One night stand?"

"We were in a relationship. Almost thought about getting married. Then she just disappeared. A year later, she showed up with the kids, five months old. For a while we thought she was going to stay, but two days later, she was gone again." Jounouchi explained. Why was he bothering to tell Kaiba all these? Not likely that the CEO would absorb what he said anyway.

"They are yours, genetically?"

This was starting to feel like a very impolite interrogation, "Yes, you can tell by the looks right? And Yugi had me take them for a DNA test so it's confirmed."

"They certainly don't retain your character."

"Ha." Jounouchi gave a light chuckle, "That's what you see now, at home and in familiar territories, they are two Tasmanian Devils. Everyone in Domino City knows that, you just haven't been around to see it."

"You took care of them all by yourself?" Kaiba frowned, as if he didn't believe Jounouchi had the capability to raise a kid himself.

"Yeah." Jounouchi fidgeted with his car keys. "Actually only when they were older. They came to me when I was still in University so during the first two years, I left them mostly with my dad or mom. They both remarried a couple of years back. My mom and Shizuka love the twins. My dad and his new wife enjoyed them too, so I left the kids with either of them during the weekdays and brought them home for weekends. It was after I got my doctorate, I really started taking care of them full time. But, they are still very close to Shizuka and their grandparents."

When Kaiba gave no response, Jounouchi assumed he must have bored the CEO out with his long explanation.

"How about you? 10 years in the US, found anyone special? Any lucky girl?" He kidded.

"Mn" was all the other young man answered.

* * *

  
Meanwhile, at the play gym, Seth and Jono had taken to sitting at the top of the fort. Panting heavily, they leaned against each other.

"Aw." Kisara rested her hands on her hips, standing beside them on top of the fort. "You're tired already?"

"Sorry, Kisara. We didn't have lunch." Jono panted.

"Neither did I." Kisara pouted, "Come on, let's play a few more rounds of catch."

"I'm not moving." Seth declared, "Why don't you sit down and rest for a while too?"

Kisara pouted but sat down too. It wasn't fun if she was the only one running about.

She started wiggling her two loose front teeth with her tongue again.

"When are you pulling your loose teeth out?" Jono suddenly asked.

Kisara gasped, "I'm not pulling my teeth out!"

Seth and Jono looked confused, "Then what do you do with them?"

"I let them fall out on their own."

"But what if they don't fall out? I heard that if you adult teeth don't have space to grow, they grow out crooked!" Jono notified.

Kisara was visibly horrified. "They do?!"

"Hm mm." Seth nodded truthfully. "That's why daddy always helps us pull it out when they become loose."

"But that's so painful!" Kisara gave a small shriek, recalling her maiden experience with her daddy pulling out her tooth. Ear-splitting shrieks and bloody stains on her daddy and Uncle Mokuba's suits had followed.

"It doesn't hurt." Seth piped. "Really."

"You could go to the dentist." Jono added, "Or try chewing a gum."

"Gum?"

"Yeah, you shoulda see the teeth sticking onto the gum."

"But where am I gonna get gum?" Kisara asked.

"I dunnoe." The younger of the twins shrugged, "If I had one I'd have eaten it already."

Kisara signed in defeat.

Then Jono lightened up again, "Or you could use string. Tie it to your teeth and the other end onto a door knob. Slam and it's done. Or you could use pliers too."

"No one is pulling my teeth with pliers!" Kisara shrieked, almost in tears. Fortunately, they were at a corner of the playground where their parents could neither see nor hear them.

"You're scaring her." Seth tapped his brother on the head. "Show me which one is loose, Kisara."

"You'd pull it out with pliers."

"I don't have pliers. I just want to see it."

Oh well. That sounded safe. It didn't hurt to show Seth her loose teeth. She opened her mouth and revealed her white pearly teeth. "This two. But this is looser."

"Show me again please?"

"This one." Kisara opened her mouth once again and wiggled the tooth with her tongue. She was surprised when the boy reached out and stuck a finger into her mouth.

"This one?" He confirmed, wriggling it.

"Yaah..." Kisara nodded, and was surprised when she felt the tooth detach. There wasn't even blood.

"Here, your tooth." Seth held out a white pearly tooth to Kisara. "It was already detached, just sticking onto your gum because of the saliva, so there's no blood."

Kisara and Jono stared at the boy in utmost reverence.

"Where did you learn that?" Jono asked.

"When daddy removed my last tooth." Seth shrugged.

"Your daddy's way cool!" Kisara marvelled, "I gotta go show daddy my tooth!"

Kisara proceeded to climb off the fort, but having jumped in puddles previously, her pink little shoes, unlike the twins' track shoes, were very slippery.

Climbing down from the top of the five foot high fort, she slipped, lost her balance, and fell, landing on the not-so-soft mat below face-first. The impact completely knocked the breath out of her, and she was still for a long moment of shock.

Jono saw blood pooling under Kisara's head as the twins peered over the ledge to see what happened. He screamed at the top of his lungs, and went tearing down the fort. Screeching the whole way, he made a beeline for his daddy and flung his arms around his daddy's legs.

"KISARA'S DEAD!!! SHE FELL AND DIED! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Back at the fort, Seth carefully made his way down and pulled the dazed girl back into a sitting position.

There, where Kisara's face hit the floor was a small puddle of blood and 3 pearly white teeth

"Kisara, you okay?" Seth asked hesitantly as he examined the girl's bloody face.

Kisara whimpered. She picked up her 3 perfect white teeth and turned to see Seth looking at her in unguarded horror.

"Your mouth, does it hurt?"

Kisara shook her head. Her mouth was numb, but her forehead hurt where it hit the floor.

"Kisara!" Seth and Kisara looked up too see a horror-stricken Seto Kaiba looking down at them. The twins' father stood beside him, carrying a freaked-out Jono.

Kisara's daddy looked so pale, if not green with terror. Seth almost thought he was going to faint.

After a moment of hiatus, he watched as Kisara's daddy calmly scooped up the still-dazed girl and brought her to the washroom.

"What exactly happened here?"

Seth looked up at his father, still holding a whimpering Jono in his arms.

It was going to be an awfully long explanation.

* * *

  
Kisara didn't look too bad after cleaning her up, Kaiba decided.

He, Kisara and the Jounouchi were sitting inside Burger World where the children were happily chewing away at their burgers.

After washing up the little girl at the school, he had immediately called in to the Kaiba Corp Medical Centre to inform them he was coming down with Kisara on an emergency basis.

Seth and Jono insisted on coming along. Jounouchi didn't seem capable of saying no to the two pleading and begging kids. So Kaiba had casually commented that they could come along if they wished.

There hadn't been much the dentist could do besides stop the gum from bleeding. Since the teeth weren't adult teeth, the best the dentist had been able to suggest was merely to wait until the adult teeth came in, and see then whether there were any problems.

Jono and Seth had then suggested going to Burger World, where they could have lunch together, reasoning that they all haven't had lunch yet.

And that was how he ended up sitting with Kisara at a table at the fast food retaurant across Jounouchi and his twins.

Kaiba and Jounouchi had both ordered coffee while the kids had happy meals.

Kaiba himself had yet to touch the coffee, but Jounouchi was nervously taking small sips every now and then. Drinking at high frequency was an indication of anxiety. Jounouchi didn't seem any more comfortable than he was, sitting across the table from high school archenemy, Kaiba observed.

Turning his attention back to his little girl, Kisara was happily biting into her burger with what remaining teeth she had. Kaiba was glad she seemed to be unbothered by the previous incident. The only evidences left of the catastrophe were Kisara's four missing front teeth, a small cut on her lower lip and a big, red bump on her forehead.

"Tatthy, you're not gonnah eat anything?" Kisara asked, and then gasped in horror. "I thound thtrange!"

That didn't come as too much of a surprise to Kaiba. He had been through that with Mokuba when they were little.

Kaiba watched bemused as Seth and Jono looked at one another wide-eyed and then burst out laughing.

"You... sound so... funny!" Jono struggled to say between his laughter.

Kaiba looked up from the kids to see Jounouchi also grinning away like an idiot.

"Thtop making fun oth me!" Kisara burst out, but her last sentence only resulted in the twins howling harder with laughter.

She looked up at her father for help. But Kaiba himself was too busy trying and failing not to chuckle.

Kisara opened her mouth but quickly bit down on her lip again. Kaiba figured his daughter must have found that the easiest way out was to shut up.

"Don't worry about it, Kisara, you will sound normal again when your adult teeth grow out-" Kaiba assured.

He was interrupted by the familiar ringing of his cell phone.

Excusing himself, the CEO left the table and stepped outside the restaurant to answer the phone.

On the other line of the phone was Mokuba, speaking in rapid-fire.

" !" Kaiba winced as Mokuba screeched into the phone.

"Aren't those two companies always at loggerheads?" Kaiba enquired, recalling that the companies were forever trying to dispose one another.

"I don't know. Can you come back now? Where are you?" Mokuba demanded.

"At the Burger World opposite Kaiba Corp Medical Centre."

"Oh, good. You can be back in 5 minutes. Wait, what are you doing there? No, doesn't matter, I'll be seeing you in 10 minutes." With that, the vice- CEO slapped down the phone.

Kaiba pocketed his phone. Looks like he had no choices but to leave. Kisara was going to be pretty upset.

He returned to the table to break the news. "Kisara, finish your burger, we are leaving in three minutes."

Kisara's shoulders drooped, "Tho early? I wantet to play at the gym thet with Theth and Jono!" She was referring to the mini gym set at a corner of the restaurant.

"No time today, Kisara. Mokuba wants us back at Kaiba Corp."

"Alright..." Kisara groaned and shoved the rest of her burger into her mouth. The she proceeded to stuffing herself with as many fries as she could.

"You'll have other chances of playing with Seth and Jono." Jounouchi comforted. He turned to Kaiba, "Um, this Sunday. It's Shizuka and Ryuji's wedding. We'll be happy to see you, Mokuba and Kisara there-"

"That's pretty short notice." Kaiba cut in shortly.

"Not really, we sent out the invitation cards one month back, but you weren't around. We did send one to Mokuba, though, so, anyway, we hope to see you and Kisara there." Jounouchi explained.

"I'll think about it." Kaiba replied, lifting his daughter up. His head must have some sort of an aversion to mergers. His headache from the morning was coming back again.

"Kisara will come, right?" Jono piped. "Aunt Shizuka said it will be real nice. There will be Sakura trees and everything."

"Yep." Seth agreed enthusiastically with his twin.

"Can we go, tatty?" Kisara begged.

Kaiba frowned, he wasn't in the mood for this, not with a baby alien clutched to his brain, pounding his head with every second. But neither was he in the mood to hear Kisara screech and cry in the car later if he turned down her request now.

"Please." Three pairs of large, hopeful, sparkling eyes pleaded with him.

Jounouchi was also looking at him with his brows raised.

"I have to check my schedule with Mokuba first." Kaiba mumbled as he stepped away from the table. "We've got to go."

"Thee you thoon." Kisara grumbled dolefully as she waved goodbye from her father's arms.

Kaiba left the restaurant, and found himself wondering as he drove if his brain had stopped functioning the day he decided to return to Domino City. He frowned at himself, reflecting on what he had done in the day- helped the mutt get his children into the school, be bothered to ask the mutt about his kids' mother. Then, he had practically invited the guy and his puppies with him to the Medical Centre and then went to Burger World to have lunch together.

Damn first he was nostalgic, now he was getting soft, sentimental, forthcoming, and every other word of equivalent meaning on the list.

He stole a glance at the rear-view mirror. His eyes, glaring back at him.

He hoped that glare still held its potency.  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

Hakuna matata. No worries.

Yeah! We finally come to the matter about Jounouchi's kids' mother! Who she is is not important here, unless we decide on letting her appear later as an original character but that is more than unlikely.

Thank you again for the reviews! We hope you enjoyed the chapter.

The story is meant to revolve mainly around Kaiba and Jou, But Seth and Jono appears to be very popular characters too! So we should be putting in more scenes of them in the future chapters.

_Edit 27/05/2004: changed McDonalds to Burger World._


	6. Chapter 4: Shizuka's wedding

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 4**

* * *

  
"Brother, I'm so nervous." Shizuka bit her lips as the car cruised to a stop at the Shinto Shrine. "What if I do something wrong later?"

Jounouchi smiled and parked the car smoothly. "Relax, Shizuka. Nothing will go wrong. Just smile! It's your wedding day."

"But I'm still so nervous." Shizuka admitted, "I'm afraid. I'm afraid of so many things."

"I'm here with you Shizuka, and so is Ryuji. With him, you'll be very happy, I can assure you."

Shizuka smiled and blushed faintly, "Thanks brother, for everything."

Jounouchi turned to study his sister, who was dressed in the white Japanese wedding kimono, shiro-maku.

His sister had grown up beautifully, breaking men's hearts everywhere she went. Back in university, her admirers even went to the extent of setting up a fan club in honour of her. And, yeah, they were all here today too.

Shizuka's head was lowered shyly and her white wedding hood veiled her face partially. Even as a brother, Jounouchi had to admit that his sister was probably the most stunning bride in the history of Domino City.

"As lovely as ever." He complimented, "I feel like throttling Ryuji. You're too good for him."

"Brother!" Shizuka blushed even more.

"Kay. Just kidding." Jounouchi stuck his tongue out, "We have to get off the car now. Everyone is waiting for the bride. Have you taken your sword and purse?"

Shizuka fumbled about the car and felt for her wedding accessories that were meant to bring her good luck. "Yes, I have them. Is the fan on my obi belt secure?"

"Yep." Jounouchi nodded. But to reassure Shizuka, he reached for it and re- secured the fan firmly to the belt.

The sweet morning scent refreshed Jounouchi as he stepped out of the car. He glanced over to the crowd of people standing at the foot of the steps leading to the shrine. His parents and their respective partners as well as friends and relatives were already standing at the steps of the shrine. Seth and Jono were standing together with Bakura and Honda under a blossoming Sakura tree. The veterinarian had dropped the kids off at their place the previous night to prepare for Shizuka's wedding.

He almost frowned at the thought of having the kids, who were likely to be asking him a lot of questions about the strange couple again when they get home later. Honda and Bakura were not his first choice when it came to baby sitting the twins, but he hadn't had much of a choice the day before. Everyone was busy. His father was busy reconfirming the transportation for the reception and making sure that everything was ready and his mother was busy dressing up Shizuka. Grandfather Sugoroku was too old to be taking care of the two little rug-rats. Mai and Anzu were giving Shizuka pep talks and Yugi was comforting him- the upset brother who was losing his only and favourite kid sister.

Nah, he can frown on that later, when the questions came. Now, for Shizuka's sake, he got to smile!

Finally, he sighted Ryuji, standing on the steps bashfully beside Yugi and Anzu, dressed smartly in his Montsuki kimono.

He chuckled. Without a doubt, when he had first known the dice boy, he had wanted to throttle him, for making him wear a dog suit and every other thing he did to Yugi. Now, his sister was marrying him. And he still felt like throttling him. It was hard to believe how fate kidded them.

He opened the door for Shizuka.

"It's time." He held a hand out and Shizuka held on to it. The siblings stared at each other for a few moments, speaking without words. Then Jounouchi looked away and proceeded to help his sister out of the car.

Wordlessly, Jounouchi walked his sister to the steps. It seemed to take forever to reach Ryuji, and all the way there, Jounouchi could think of nothing but how his sister had grown. He had a sudden and horrible wish that they could just shrink and return to the time when he had secretly took her to the beach to watch the sunset. Then he felt Shizuka loosen her grip on his arm. It felt almost like the day when his mother took Shizuka and went away, except, this time, Shizuka was more than happy to be in her taker's embrace.

The crowd parted to let the couple access to the shrine. Emptiness and loneliness crept up Jounouchi as he watched his sister, hand in hand with Ryuji, disappear up the steps.

"Missing her already?" Mai's voice interrupted his reminiscences.

"Of course not." The blonde denied and turned away quickly. He hadn't realised that his eyes had actually started to sting. "Sand got into my eyes."

"Take this." Mai smiled as she chucked a silk handkerchief to him, "For whatever it is that are causing your eyes to water."

Jounouchi looked down at the handkerchief. There was a piece of paper or card wrapped in it. Confused, he unwrapped it and stared at it in shock and wonder. It was a photo of him and Shizuka down at the beach when they were very young children, when their parents had still been together.

"But where –"

"She gave this to me last night and asked me to give it to you." Mai gave a wink as she turned away, "And she asked me to tell you that you're the best brother she's ever got."

With a smile, the haughty lady started up the steps.

An arm suddenly wrapped itself around Jounouchi and the veterinarian gave a startled jump. Honda.

"What?" He asked, rather annoyed as he pocketed the handkerchief and the photo.

"You gonna stand here for the rest of the morning?" His best friend asked, "Coz we're going to miss the ceremony if we don't go up already."

Jounouchi smirked and took off after a shout, "Race you to the top."

"You cheated!"  


* * *

  
Seth watched in amusement as his brother and Kisara fidgeted for the twentieth time as the three knelt beside Uncle Yugi and Uncle Mokuba.

"My legth are numbet." Kisara grumbled as Jono yawned softly.

"We have to be quiet." Seth whispered, wondering why the two of them couldn't sit still and proper like Mahaado and Isis in front of them. Even Mana and baby Marik were quiet and good in their mother and grandfather's arms.

Upfront, the Shinto Priest was still reciting all sorts of strange words which made little or no sense to the young boy at all.

"How long is this going to take?" Seth asked Uncle Yugi beside him in a whisper.

"After this, then the actual ceremony starts with the priest purifying the couple. Then we have the vows read. After that there is still the sharing of sake called "san san kudo". And, after that, there is still the closing of the ceremony, where your aunt and uncle-in-law will offer symbolic small tree twigs called sakaki to the Kami."

Seth winced at the long reply as Kisara and Jono practically collapsed on hearing the events to come.

"Where's your daddy, Kisara?" Seth asked quietly, noting that he hadn't seen the strange, tall man since Mokuba and Kisara came.

"Yeah, did he not come?" Jono added.

"He'th arount." Kisara whispered back. "He retheived a thall from the Thorp jutht now and stayeth outthite the thhrine to anthwer it-"

Jono stared at her blankly.

"Her daddy is outside answering a call." Seth translated.

"Alright, why don't you three go out and run about first. You can ask your grandfather to arrange a bus to ferry you over to the hotel first. They might have an arcade or game room of some sort there." Yugi interrupted softly. "Than we can meet you there later during the reception"

Beside him, Mokuba nodded in agreement.

"Okay!" The three whispered enthusiastically and were gone in the blink of the eye.

* * *

  
Kaiba slapped his flip-phone closed and slipped it into his suit pocket irately.

"Imbeciles!" he muttered under his breathe, wondering why he even hired them in the first place. The hopeless employees at Kaiba Land USA had to call him at every other interval with regards to every stupid, simple problem which they were too lazy to use their brains to solve.

He glanced up the ninety-nine-stepped stairs leading to the shrine's main hall where the wedding was held and scowled at the sight of countless men crowding on it.

"That's Shizuka's fan club." Mokuba had explained to him earlier when they had arrived.

Mokuba had unwearyingly spent the night before convincing him to come, giving him a long list of reasons that Kisara and he had compiled to aid them in their persuasion.

_Reason number 31: So that Kisara can meet and play with Seth and Jono._

Kaiba chuckled, recalling the different reasons. He had easily rebutted on that, stating that Kisara could meet Seth and Jono almost everyday when they start school together in April.

Then, Mokuba had shot back with Reason number 52.

_To socialize with people and build up personal relationships._

While Kaiba frowned upon that, Mokuba had quickly added, "So that my brother is not still left on the shelf when he hits the big 30 next year."

"I dislike parties." Kaiba had said blandly, ignoring the younger man's last comment.

Then came reason number 68:

_To build up your interest in parties._

For the rest of the night, whatever excuses Kaiba came up with was met with one of the reasons on Mokuba's list.

In the end, Kaiba had succumbed to the uncle and niece's pleas.

Climbing up the steps to the shrine, Kaiba decided that he would never be able to get into the shrine under this sort of circumstances. Not that he wanted to enter it anyway. He understood that the wedding ceremony was usually attended by members of the families and close relatives and in addition, some of the couples' close friends. While the groom, Ryuji had happily presented his wishes for the Kaiba family to join them in the wedding hall, Kaiba didn't feel like appearing there. He didn't assume himself to be a close friend of the Yugi-gang.

He moved himself to the doorway of the wedding hall, hoping to catch sight of his brother. It couldn't be difficult to find a young man with a long black tied-up mane of hair.

"S'cuse me." He glowered as a bunch of Shizuka's fan pushed him to the back, trying to take a last glimpse at their goddess-no-more.

Maybe he should just call Mokuba, leave a message for him and leave the wedding early. Mokuba could take care of Kisara and Kisara would be happy as long as she got to play with the puppies. Besides, he was getting real uncomfortable standing in the temple where a lot of people were staring at him.

A bunch of young ladies started giggling in a corner and pointing at him. Kaiba presumed them to be the bride's friends and ex-classmates. Out of a corner of his eyes, he could see a sweeper pausing just to stare at him, and then pretend to be not staring at him.

Kaiba shook his head lightly, making a mental note to pay a visit to the TV station and News Agency later in the week. He had been watching the evening news with Mokuba the previous night when his own face suddenly popped up on the TV screen. In silent shock, he had watched as the sweetly, young anchor lady said cheerfully: "And for the Special News of the week, it has been confirmed that the young, successful and wealthy CEO, Seto Kaiba, of Kaiba Corporations is currently back in Domino City. This is his first appearance in Japan after making a public statement that he was leaving for USA 10 years ago..."

The TV then showed a filmage of him, Mokuba and Kisara getting off a company limo and walking into Kaiba Land Japan.

"...Our reporters have interviewed some undisclosed employees of the corporation. It is said that the young girl is Kaiba's adopted daughter, and that the young father is here to stay with his daughter permanently. And that is all for this week's Special News of the Week. Coming up next..."

Following the news this morning, Kaiba was greeted with "DOMINO'S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR IS BACK IN THE CITY!" in bold; size 72 fonts on the front page of the newspapers.

Now almost the whole city knew that he was back in Domino, and he had wanted to make it an undisclosed issue.

His thoughts were interrupted when something soft and fluffy crashed into his chest.

Kaiba looked down to see a person on his silk suit- corrections- a blonde mutt hanging onto his suit.

He froze for a moment, feeling the mutt's breathe on his neck, and the soothing warmth of the mutt's body as it leaned heavily on him. There was also a light fruity scent coming from the mutt.

"Clumsy mutt." Kaiba muttered, expecting Jounouchi to get off him and apologise clumsily or some sort. But the mutt didn't, he simply hung there like Kaiba was some coat rack. Kaiba could feel the weight of Jounouchi on his chest, could feel his chest rising as he breathed in unison with his. And it felt so good, to have someone near him, lying on him, leaning on him, touching him in an intimate way.

After a moment of silent and hiatus, the dazed mutt finally looked up, still clinging on to Kaiba for his dear life.

Brown eyes met blue eyes.

"In case you just sobered, you might just realize that you woke up on the wrong bed today."

* * *

  
Three large eyes stared at the scene which greeted them once they had squeezed out of the crowd in the wedding hall's doorway.

"Why ith your tatty hugging my tatty?"

* * *

  
He was staring into a sea of blue. Blue... the colour of the sky, the colour of his tie, the colour of Blue Eyes, the colour of whatever he was starring into...

He was staring into Seto Kaiba's blue eyes.

"In case you just sobered, you might just realize that you woke up on the wrong bed today." Kaiba's annoyed tone slapped him back into reality.

"I tripped..." He mumbled hesitantly, his brain going though a thousand and one reason for why he was clinging to the young man like a Koala, forgetting to remove himself from the taller man.

But yet he couldn't stop himself from getting mesmerised by the man's eyes. He had never seen Kaiba's eyes so upfront and close. They were so deep, so gentle. He felt Kaiba's hands reaching out to steady him- strong firm hands that held his shoulders and brought him back to his feet.

Honda's noisy footsteps climbing up the flight of stairs behind him amplified. And then he was suddenly grabbed by another pair of hands from the back and snatched away from Kaiba roughly.

"You okay?" Honda asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The veterinarian mumbled as he steadied and removed himself from Honda's grasp. "Didn't hit anything or something. I just fell."

Yeah, he didn't hit anything. He practically threw himself onto Seto Kaiba on his fall.

He sneaked a peek at the taller, silent man who was presently rearranging his suit jacket.

Damn, he cursed silently when he saw Kaiba catching him looking at him.

"I should get you paw pads, so you don't slip." Kaiba smirked.

Jounouchi didn't get the chance to make a comeback.

"Shizuka's gonna get mad if you aren't there for her wedding ceremony."

Honda grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

* * *

  
Later in the evening...

"Why to we ged thtuck in here?" Kisara grumbled as she bounced up and down on the hotel room bed.

"Because they don't want us to run around messing up things." Seth replied, looking up briefly from the snakes and ladder game he was playing with Mahaado and Isis on the other bed.

"And we need to look after Mana and Marik." Jono replied glumly, joining his friend in the bouncing.

"Five! And I win the game!" Seth announced as he moved his checker five squares to the last square.

Mahaado and Isis groaned, and then Mahaado climbed off the bed to check on his baby brother and sister Mana who were sleeping in cots borrowed from the hotel.

Seth looked over to the door as he heard footsteps neared the hotel room door and a young girl screeching.

"But I don't want to stay in there!"

The door opened. Seth and the other kids watched as Aunt Mai pushed a young girl with blonde curls into the room.

"Just stay in there for a while, Harpy sweetie." Mai persuaded as she pushed the unhappy little girl into the room. "Besides, look! Seth, Jono and Mahaado they all are also here!"

"Hi Harpy!" Seth, Jono, Mahaado and Isis chorused.

Harpy appeared to brighten up for a second, Seth observed, before she went back to pleading with her mother.

"Can I just stay by the poolside then? Uncle Bakura says that they are testing out the fireworks later and I want to see them!"

"No, sweetie. And you can't see fireworks anyway, only smoke. It's too early in the evening. Now you stay in this room with the kids. Uncle Jounouchi will bring you and the other kids down when the dinner banquet is about to start. I'm going to the other rooms to see how the bride is doing. I'm very busy, honey. I've got to retouch the bride's makeup, so you be good, kay?"

Seth continued watching as the young lady pecked a kiss on the sulky girl's forehead and left the room.

"Hey Harpy!" Jono shouted as he bounced up and down. "Come and join us. This bed is reaaally bouncy!"

Beside him, Kisara asked innocently, "Who is she?"

While Jono didn't bother to explain, Seth pulled the unhappy older girl onto the other bed where Mahaado and Isis sat.

"She's Harpy, Aunt Mai's daughter. She's seven years old.

"Harpy, this is Kisara, we're going to school together." He introduced.

"She doesn't look very 'harpy' to me." Kisara teased.

Harpy pouted.

"You didn't come to our house last week." Mahaado prompted.

"Mummy sent me to a children's camp." The little girl replied, fiddling with her long curls.

"That... sounds... fun!" Jono struggled to say as he bounced breathlessly.

"It was okay."

"You were thaying thomething about fireworkth." Kisara said, still bouncing on the bed. But unlike Jono, who was almost on the verge of collapsing, she was not a bit out of breath and still in the mood for more jumping.

Harpy stared at the girl vacantly.

"She just lost her four front teeth." Mahaado explained.

"Oh." Harpy nodded understandingly.

"You were saying something about fireworks." Seth sighed and translated.

"Right, Uncle Bakura said he was going to fire a few fireworks to check if they are working. Mummy won't let me watch." The little girl moaned.

"I've got a very good idea!" Seth, along with the other kids all turned to see Kisara declare enthusiastically, with a gleam in her eye.

Seth bit down on his lips. He wasn't very sure Kisara's very good idea was his idea of good idea.

"Thince they won't let us thee the fireworktth, I thay we make our own rocket!" The little girl announced as jumped off her bed, opened the small in-room refrigerator and retrieved a two-litre water bottle.

"We can't do that!" Isis and Mahaado said in unison, shocked.

"Why not?" the little girl questioned. "I know how to make it. One of Tatty'th workerth thowet me how to to it when I wath back in UTHA."

"What?" Harpy asked, confused at the younger girl's incomprehensible words, and turned to the older twin for an explanation.

"She said that one of her daddy's workers showed her how to do it when she was back in USA." Seth explained nervously.

"But we are not allowed to leave the room!" Mahaado and Isis reminded

"We need quite a lot of materials to make it, don't we?" Jono asked worriedly.

Kisara lowered her head in disappointment. "That'th true. We neet a lot of thtuff. Clay, glue, paper, thcithorth..."

Seth heaved a sign of relief.

"No sweat!" Harpy suddenly declared. "I've got those! I just got here from my art and craft lessons!"

"But we can't leave the room!" Mahaado and Isis insisted.

"Nobody will know if we leave and come back quickly." Jono assured.

"Yeah." Harpy agreed.

"Now all we neet ith a fire ethtinguithher to work ath the launcher." Kisara added.

"Fire extinguisher? No prob! I saw a small one along the corridor when I was coming in." Harpy piped.

"Yeah!" Jono cheered. "Then let's get started on the rocket!"

"Mummy and Daddy is going to get so mad if we leave the room!" Mahaado and Isis screeched.

"Told ya, we'll come back quickly."

Mahaado and Isis turned to one another in despair, shook their heads and went back to looking at their younger siblings sleep.

"Just like my mummy always says," Harpy chirped. "What they don't know won't hurt them!"

* * *

  
Kaiba found Jounouchi along the beach, blocked from sight from the Hotel lobby and pool, leaning against the metal railing that separated the seaside Hotel from the beach. The blonde was watching the sun set into the sea.

Sentimental mutt, Kaiba thought. He hadn't known the pup to be a person of sentiment. Then again, he did not know much about the mutt.

But he had to admit, looking from afar, Jounouchi standing alone along the railing watching the sunset was a very pretty picture. Lonely but pretty. His blonde hair blowing in the wind reflecting the setting sun's light along with the glittering sea made the scene more than scenic.

He thought he saw something glistering on the young man's face.

Tears? On his sister's wedding day?

Jounouchi must really have a soft spot for his sister.

Kaiba decided that this wasn't the best time to taunt his ex-adversary on his trip earlier the day.

He turned around and started for the hotel lobby.

"Kaiba?"

* * *

  
Damn, Jounouchi cursed himself as he quickly wiped the tears off his face. He was getting too sentimental for his own good. He seldom cried. He simply hated it when people left.

He had heard footsteps behind him and turned around due to regular reflexes. He had thought it might be Yugi or Mai, informing him that the banquet was about to start. He didn't mind if it was them. They had seen him cry before, when the twins' mother had left. They were there to comfort him then.

But whoever was there wasn't Mai or Yugi, or any member of the Yugi-gang. Of all humankind, it was Seto Kaiba, walking away. And then his mouth had called out before he could stop himself,

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba had turned around and was now walking towards him.

He had better come up with a good excuse for calling the CEO!

"Um, uh. I just wanted to thank you for catching me just now when I fell." He stuttered lamely as Kaiba stopped beside him, watching the sea view.

The CEO merely grunted in response.

Awkward silence.

Jounouchi wondered how the CEO could stand that silence and the awkwardness between them. He was so uncomfortable he felt like hurling himself over the railing onto the beach just so to escape that discomfort.

He glanced over at the taller man quickly and found him to frowning upon something he saw.

He followed the man's gaze to find the subject of Kaiba's attention. Then he saw it.

At the far end of the beach, Yugi and Anzu kissing passionately where they thought no one was watching.

Jounouchi immediately turned away from the scene, watching his friends kiss was something he would prefer not to see on any day. Another couple on the other far end of the beach caught his eyes.

Dad?

His eyes grew real wide. His dad was sitting there with his new wife lazing in his arms and the two were simply just lying there watching the setting sun.

Ever the romantic. Now he knew where he got his sentiments from.

He turned away, watching his dad romanticizing with his new mother was another scene he preferred never to lay eyes upon again in three thousand years.

He looked elsewhere... and found himself staring straight ahead at his mom and her new husband walking past them on the beach, laughing and hitting each other playing playfully.

Jesus Christ! What was this? Lover's beach?

He would rather be looking at a rock! His gaze turned to a rock lying peacefully not far away on the beach. Good, nothing there, rocks were legitimately safe to look at.

Then two heads shot out above the rock, and tongues attached to them started latching onto each other. And then, clothes started flying from behind the rocks.

Bakura and Honda. His mind screamed in horror. Couldn't they do this in the hotel? As in, in the hotel rooms, not on the beach!

He shut his eyes hastily and turned his back to the beach. He couldn't stand starring at the beach for a single second more. It was too littered with lovers and Bakura and Honda's clothes.

"Mutt?"

His eyes fluttered open on hearing Kaiba whisper into his ears. Kaiba's face right before him made his heart stop,

He hadn't realised when Kaiba had moved so close to him. Just ten seconds and four couples ago, the taller man was still standing more than three feet away from him.

And now, they were standing so close it reminded him of the morning-when he fell into Kaiba's lap.

"Um, Kaiba?" he stammered as Kaiba moved in even closer.

They were presently in a position some sort similar to earlier that morning. Except this time, he wasn't hanging on to Kaiba. Instead, Kaiba had pinned him securely against the railing. Shorter by half a head, his head was semi-buried in Kaiba's chest.

He could smell Kaiba's scent, mixed with the familiar cinnamon and starch fragrance which Kaiba had always smelled of since they were in high school.

Sweet, warm.

It was impossible not to notice, considering they were at a distance he didn't consider psychologically comfortable.

"Kai-"

"Shh..."

Was that Kaiba's voice? So gentle?

Jounouchi froze as he felt Kaiba's hand sifting through his hair. Then Kaiba's hand dropped to his face and lifted it up so he was starring straight into Kaiba's eyes.

Instinctively, Jounouchi reached out and pushed him away-

-and failed when Kaiba reached out for his hands and caught hold of them firmly.

Kaiba's warm breathe was on his face. Their faces were so....very near...

And then he felt it.

Kaiba's lips – on his own. Soft, gentle, warm.

Kaiba is...kissing me...

His breathe hastened as a thousand and one thoughts rushed through his head at one go.

Kaiba is what? Kissing me? What is he doing? Why is he doing this? Kaiba is doing what? Kaiba is kissing me, for real? What am I doing? Kaiba is kissing me, so he's a gay? Is anyone watching? What if anyone see us like this? What if, Seth and Jono see this? What if Kisara sees this? Is he thinking the same thing? Is he drunk? He doesn't taste of alcohol, then is he crazy? Is he...

He was having a hard time concentrating on his thoughts.

He didn't know how to react. His arms had lost all feeling and energy to push the guy away.

I have to stop him...part of his mind told him.

The other half had completely succumbed to Kaiba's dominant but gentle kiss.

The gentle kiss slowly willed him to close his eyes

To hell with everything, the yielded part of the brain coaxed him.

He kissed Kaiba back.

He had some good kisses in the later part of his last 28years of life, but they were nothing like this- gentle yet wild, dangerous, carrying great weight...

Kaiba's hands left his wrists and went up to his shoulder, skilfully loosening his collar and removing his tie.

He felt Kaiba's lips leave his and start moving its way down, kissing his chin, moving on to his neck.

His knees were going weak.

He whimpered helplessly as his legs gave way below him, only to find himself supported by Kaiba as the stronger man wrapped an arm around his waist.

And Kaiba was still kissing ferociously at his neck.

They remained like that for minutes, Jounouchi whimpering feebly as Kaiba started nibbling into his neck.

Until they heard a loud 'WHEEEEEEEEEZZZZ" and a loud thud.

Jounouchi thought he heard Kaiba yelped, then Kaiba suddenly let go of him and Jounouchi landed on the floor in a pile.

As he landed heavily on the floor, his eyes widened as he saw a Rocket Warrior doll tied on to a bottle rocket- its head swinging from side to side as the rocket bottle continued its crazy zigzag zoom on the floor.

* * *

  
Kaiba massaged the back of his neck painfully where the rocket had hit him before he had dropped Jounouchi.

He turned around and looked down at the bottle rocket which was slowly coming to a stop beside his shoe.

He scowled, looking down at the Rocket Warrior which was tied to the bottle rocket like a pathetic rag doll.

"I think it flew that way!" A little girl was shouting from behind the swimming pool bathroom which blocked them from the hotel lobby.

Kisara.

He didn't need a voice to enlighten him about the culprit.

In his annoyance, he kicked the bottle back in the direction where it came from.

He would have to deal with girl and the Rocket Warrior later. He had better and more important things to turn to now. He turned back to Jounouchi, and was surprised to find him gone. The mutt had apparently crawled away or anything akin to it while he was busy with the Rocket Warrior, without him noticing.

Kaiba frowned. He thought that the mutt would stick around to question him why he had kissed him, or at least yell at him for what he had done, or just hit him. But he was gone, leaving no evidence of their little kiss left.

Except maybe one- the tie in his hand. Jounouchi's blue tie.

He smiled.

After all, the mutt did kiss him back.

* * *

  
Forty-five seconds...forty-six seconds...fifty seconds...fifty-one seconds.

Jounouchi opened his eyes and pulled his head out of the water, his hands which were resting on the two sides of the fish tank were still trembling slightly as water traced down his face.

What was Kaiba doing?

And what had he done?!

The water was ruining his shirt, but he didn't care. He had another one in one of the hotel rooms which he had meant to change into after the morning ceremony. What he really was concerned with was the madness just now.

Did anyone see that? See Kaiba kissing him and him kissing back?

He would be damned if anyone did. Stupid him. Stupid kiss. Stupid Kaiba. It had felt nice to do it – return the kiss just now, but now it felt so stupid. Weddings always made people do crazy things, he decided. The last time when he had attended Yugi and Anzu's wedding, he had also kissed Mai. But then....that time was different, he had been drunk when he kissed her.

"Jounouchi!"

The disorientated blonde snapped his head up to see a panting and dishevelled Honda standing at the doorway of the bathroom.

"Honda?" Jounouchi raise his brow in bewilderment as he stared at his best friend, whose shirt was half undone and crumpled. "Aren't you with Bakura...behind the rock?"

"Bakura... had something else to attend to." His best friend replied hesitantly.

"Oh."

There was an awkward silent in the room for a while, until Honda picked up one of the pool towels the hotel left in the washroom and handed it to Jounouchi.

"Thanks." Jounouchi muttered as he took it. He dried his face and hair, but only for Honda's sake. After Honda leave, he'll probably try drowning himself in the fish tank the hotel displayed in the washroom again.

"You okay?" Honda asked worriedly.

"Yeah." Jounouchi lied. "How can I be not okay? I'm just a bit upset that my sis's getting married. That's all."

Honda didn't look like he believed him.

Another awkward silence.

Finally, Jounouchi asked, "Honda, just between the two of us, how did you know when someone likes you or is just having a fling with you?"

He watched as Honda frowned, raising his brows.

"Honestly, I don't know." His best friend replied. "All of my relationships were serious."

"Then, how about your clients? Those people who ask you to find out love affairs of their partners." Jounouchi persisted.

The private investigator turned away. "I guess... if he's serious, than he will show it somehow..."

But Jounouchi wasn't paying attention to what the his friend was implying, having other thoughts on his mind

"Honda, just between the two of us, how did you know Bakura liked you?" Jounouchi asked cautiously.

Honda was visibly taken back at the sudden intimate question.

"I didn't," The young man finally replied after a long pause. "Until he appeared at the doorway of Investigation Bureau three years ago all of a sudden and dragged me to a motel nearby. Then... he stripped down to nothing and I was...seduced by him."

"Oh..." Jounouchi mumbled, remembering the incident three years ago when the private investigator had suddenly broke off with his sister. Shizuka had cried for days over their break-up. Then one week after the break-up, Bakura and Honda had shown up at their monthly reunion, with Bakura draped over Honda like a scarf. It was there everyone realized why Honda had broken up with Shizuka. And Shizuka, satisfied that Honda had not broken up with her because he found a better girl, quickly moved on to Otogi.

Whatever the case, that wasn't something he had expected to hear or hoped to know. Knowing how Honda was seduced by Bakura was just as bad as seeing his parents kiss.

"Jou," Honda called out softly, interrupting his train of thoughts.

"Uh huh? Uh, thanks for sharing that with me." Jounouchi snapped up from his thoughts.

"There's something I've been wanting to tell you..." Honda trailed off.

"Shoot, buddy." Jounouchi mumbled absently.

"I love you."

That was the last thing Katsuya Jounouchi thought he would ever hear from Hiroto Honda.

"I loved you...since junior high." Honda admitted quietly. "Respected, admired and loved you ever since I saw you stand up to Hirutani. You fought him, protected and looked after all of us, your band of brothers back in junior high."

"I thought-" Jounouchi managed to choke through his shock, "You were straight then, until you met Bakura! You liked Miho back in high school. You dated Shizuka! We even watched porn together!"

"I didn't want you to find out the truth and I was trying to like a girl when I said I liked Miho. Then came Shizuka, I thought then that maybe I could find a bit of you in her! And yes I did! She has the same courage and spirit that you have. But still it was different, you and her, I mean-"

"Good thing that today it isn't YOU who was standing beside Shizuka at the wedding ceremony this morning or I would throttle you personally now!" Jounouchi shook his head in anger and disbelief.

"Let me explain –" Honda begged.

"You are with Bakura now, so why are you even bothering to tell me this?"

"Back then, I knew you would never become a gay, then Bakura appeared...and everything just became as it is." Honda confessed miserably, "Now I'm with Bakura, I won't ask you to return the love. But I just want you to know about my feelings."

This was starting to give him a massive headache. It was like a snowball rolling bigger and bigger and he was in the middle of it. Jounouchi felt like drowning himself, for real this time. Then he revised Honda's words. _Back then, I knew you would never become a gay._

"You saw me and Kaiba..." The shaken veterinarian started.

Honda nodded honestly, "I saw him kiss you and you kissing him back."

"You keep this between you and me." Jounouchi threatened, "And don't you dare tell anything to Bakura."

"About us? He knows everything."

"No. I mean about me and Kaiba." Jounouchi gritted his teeth, "Or better, forget about what you saw. Kaiba was drunk then, or I was."

Honda appeared thoughtful, "Uh, Bakura was there too when I watched you kiss Kaiba. But I swear we won't tell a single soul, buddy."

He paused, "But why did you kiss him back?""

Jounouchi shrugged. He really didn't know the answer.

"Well, weddings make people do crazy things, you know, the mood, the atmosphere and everything. I was straight and I still am." He finally said, and then he perked up again, "Shouldn't you be going back to Bakura?"

Honda slapped his head, "Right, I forgot. He's going to kill me for ditching him at the beach halfway."

"Just between the two of us." Jounouchi reminded as Honda stepped towards the door.

"Just between the two of us." Honda nodded and left.

Jounouchi was left starring at himself in the bathroom mirror after Honda left.

This was getting so confusing. First Kaiba kissed him, then now Honda confessed his love for him.

Jounouchi studied himself in the mirror. There weren't any indication of the previous two incidents left, except... where was his tie?

Jounouchi groaned and sunk his head into the fish tank.  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1) We edited the last chapter's McDonalds to Burger World.

2) Hirutani is the Jounouchi's nemesis back in junior high in the comic book 2 game 11,12, and book 6, game 48 and 49. He also appears in the first Yu-Gi-Oh anime where Kaiba's hair was green in episode 9.

3) We're starting to wonder if this is still considered PG-13 or we should change it to R... till what level of intimacy is allowed in PG-13? Help please?

4) We are not very sure about Japanese wedding ceremony, but most of it should be fairly accurate. So just pretend it is Domino city's wedding ceremony.

5) Honda is a Private Investigator, as mentioned above.

6) Miho is the girl whom Honda liked in the comic book 1 game 7. She also appeared as one of Yugi's companions in the first Yu-Gi-Oh anime series.

7) Very long chapter, we won't be updating for the next 2 days. Enjoy.

8) Again, thank you for the reviews. We enjoyed reading them!


	7. Chapter 5: First Day of School

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 5**  


* * *

  
Two weeks.

Two weeks had passed since Shizuka's wedding. Two long weeks since he kissed the mutt.

Two weeks too long. Kaiba thought regretfully as he turned the Hyundai Matrix into the lane leading to Kisara's school. Since that day, time passed so slowly and it seemed as if his thoughts were left forever on that day.

During the banquet later that evening, the mutt had avoided him like a ghost, regardless his many attempts to approach him to return the tie. And yeah, he still had the blue tie with him in the glove compartment of his car. Then he had to leave the party banquet early with Mokuba and Kisara due to some attempted hostile takeover by a lunatic rival company. The following days to the banquet had been spent restoring the company's financial status and seeking out moles in the company.

And finally, just two days ago, the company was all back in working status, allowing Kaiba time off his job and spending time with Kisara.

During the last 12 days he and Mokuba had been working so hard at the Corporation they barely had time for the little girl. While Kisara had whined about it non-stop, and Mokuba had defended the little girl about Kaiba being too harsh on the kid, Kaiba had insisted that it was a good punishment to ground the kid at home for the rocket-warrior incident.

To speak the truth, Kaiba wasn't at all happy or entertained by the Rocket Warrior. After all, he was having the time of his life-kissing Jounouchi when that thing hit him on the neck and broke off the kiss.

The kiss...

He had kissed Jounouchi.

Warm, gentle, sweet...

Jounouchi had smelled so good when he kissed him. Jounouchi actually smelled of vanilla. Kaiba had felt Jounouchi's heartbeat racing, felt his chest rising rapidly, felt the welcoming warm emitting from his body.

Then, it came as a surprise, when those soft lips kissed him back. Soft lips that were at first hesitant, then quickly turned dominant, wanting...

And then he had to break for air. Deciding to give the mutt a little more sensation, he had taken a deep breathe and changed his target of attack to the mutt's neck.

He had thought he felt the mutt shiver as he nibbled into his neck-

"Tatty, Jono and Theth will be in my clathth, right?" Kisara asked enthusiastically.

Kaiba was brought back into his car, which was turning into Kisara's school's car park. A horde of parents were already there, dropping off their children. A colorful décor of umbrellas and raincoats displayed in the pouring rain, and then the parents started turning and staring at their car plate which spelt SETO.

Kaiba had not meant to make such a grand entrance. But well, the parents would eventually know sooner or later that Domino City's most eligible bachelor's daughter was enrolled into the special school, so no point in hiding the truth.

"Uh huh, I'm not sure." The CEO answered honestly as he parked the car. "But even if you're not, you can still play with them during breaks and recess."

While Kisara watched the crowd silently, Kaiba's thoughts momentarily drifted back to Jounouchi.

_Why?_

The question was simply, why?

A question which he expected the mutt to ask him.

_Why did you kiss me?_

And then there was the question he wanted to ask him back.

_Then why did you kiss me back?_

Why?

Why did I kiss Jounouchi?

Kaiba wasn't sure. He hadn't thought of the whys when he decided to kiss Jounouchi. He thought he could worry about it later.

Now, he wished he knew as much why he kissed him. Maybe it was the sunset. Maybe it was the couples that were kissing on the beach. Maybe kissing was contagious. Maybe it was just to make fun of the mutt like he used to. Maybe it was just to see the mutt's response. Maybe because he liked Jounouchi without realizing it...

Maybe, Kaiba didn't know why at all. It had seemed like a good idea at that point of time. Jounouchi had smelled and looked so seducing in the sunset...

"EARTH TO TATTY! YOU'RE NOT LITHTENING!!!"

Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts and found himself starring at his own death-glare on his daughter's face.

"Sorry, Kisara. You were saying?"

"Can we get off the car now?" Kisara replied irately, folding her arms across her chest.

Kaiba nodded absently, opening an umbrella as he got out of the car.

Kisara bit her lips while looking at the large crowd which had gathered to watch them, and hopped off the car under her father's umbrella, "I hope we're in the thame clathth."

I hope so too. Kaiba found himself anticipating it silently.

There were questions to be asked, answers to be given.

He longed to see Jounouchi's response to him today – to see what Jounouchi had to say about their little madness that day.

"Kisara!"

Two hyper boys, wearing identical light rain jackets scrambled towards them from an old cranky Nissan Pathfinder which Kaiba recognised as Jounouchi's car.

"Theth, Jono!" Little Kisara greeted happily.

Kaiba felt his heart pounding ever so slightly as he scanned for the twins' father.

"Seth, Jono. Come back here and get under this umbrella, you'll get soaked." A hoarse voice called from the car, and a dishevelled Jounouchi appeared from the driver's seat under an umbrella. Then the shorter man caught sight of him. He stuttered. "Kaiba?"

Kaiba frowned. The mutt's voice sounded awful today and his appearance wasn't much better either. The blonde looked as if he had just returned from a very bumpy holiday from the shadow realm.

"What's wrong with you today?" He would have gladly added a 'puppy' or 'mutt' if Kisara and the twins weren't just beside him. A sneeze followed by a series of dry cough promptly answered his question.

"Flu?" He mocked.

The veterinarian nodded desolately and proceeded to pull his sons under his umbrella.

"Seen a doctor?" Kaiba asked. Why did he bother asking?

"I will be okay." The other man croaked and started walking his twins to the school. "The flu will pass by itself."

"True, but if you see a doctor, you'll recover faster." Kaiba argued. Kisara was now bouncing beside him and successfully plunging into every puddle and wetting his trousers. He was relieved when they finally reached the school building.

"The flu can run its own course and I can build up my immune system." Another series of cough.

Stubborn. Kaiba frowned, "You'd pass it to Jono and Seth, and they would pass it to Kisara."

"They are immune." The cough was getting worse.

"Daddy vomited last night, last last night and last last last night..." Seth suddenly piped. Jono nodded in agreement.

Sounded pretty serious for a flu. With admonition, he reached his hand over and rested it on the veterinarian's forehead. It was scorching. "You are having a very high fever. Drop the kids, go home. I'll take care of them."

"I'll be alright." Jounouchi snapped irately and pushed Kaiba's hand away.

So. Very. Stubborn. Kaiba fumed at Jounouchi's aloofness. To hell with the mutt! He could die with hypothermia and the CEO couldn't care less!

"Mr Kaiba, Mr Jounouchi?" Miss Yamato, the lady who had guided them around the school the other day appeared before a classroom door. "Your kids are in this class, class Tiger."

They walked the kids to the classroom. The three munchkins were already playing so hard they wouldn't have noticed if Duel Monsters broke loose.

"I'm their form teacher." Ms Yamato smiled and introduced, "It'll be good if the both of you would leave now, or they may be reluctant to part later."

Kaiba snorted but agreed. He turned to look at Jounouchi whose face was pale and seemed to be in pain from a monstrous headache. Then the mutt nodded negligently and turned to leave.

"Mutt, I'm driving you home." Kaiba ordered as he pulled the blonde roughly by the shoulder all the way to his car.

"I'm not going home. I have to go to Puppy Love. And I can drive myself." Jounouchi mumbled sleepily.

"Your sister can take care of the shop." Kaiba snapped as he stuffed the reluctant man into his car.

"She's on honeymoon."

Right, Kaiba had forgotten that.

"I have patients later." Jounouchi mumbled again. "And I have to take care of the puppies and kittens in the shop. They haven't had breakfast yet."

Kaiba scowled and started the engine; trust the mutt to be so caring for his puppies at this time. "I don't care. I'm sending you home."

"The vet!"

"Home."

"Vet!"

"Home."

"Vet!"

"Home!"

"I'm getting off."

"Fine." Kaiba snapped. "I'll send you to the vet."

"Good." And the mutt started coughing again, before his face turned green.

"Kaiba, stop the car, I need to –"

Kaiba pulled into the side lane quickly and braked. He watched as Jounouchi fumbled with the seat belt and then scrambled out of the car and start throwing up. Good thing Kaiba was susceptible to watching people vomit. He got off the car, ignoring the pouring rain and patted the mutt's back to soothe him. The mutt threw up only milk and water, and that probably meant that was what the mutt had eaten only during the previous night and in the morning.

"You can't go to work like this." Kaiba discouraged, "You'll throw up all over your patients."

"Today's patients only require a few check-ups." Jounouchi's voice was hoarser than before as they stumbled back, drenched, into the car.

If Kaiba was stubborn, Jounouchi was obstinate.

"I'll drive you to the vet. You sleep now and I'll wake you up when we reach there."

He didn't get a response as he started the car again, and when he glanced over again. The mutt was already asleep.

* * *

  
"Yes. I'll be taking the day off. That's all, Mokuba. Yes, I'll be back for dinner with Kisara. Now, thank you and bye."

Jounouchi watched bleary-eyed as Kaiba slapped his phone shut and pocketed it. He let out a small chuckle but was immediately overtaken by a fit of dry cough again. Damn.

"You're awake, mutt." Kaiba looked up in surprise.

Jounouchi flinched lightly at the insult but ignored it as Kaiba chucked a glass of water to him. He downed it thankfully

Jounouchi glanced around the room as he tried to sit up on whatever he was lying on. Kaiba immediately reached over and pushed him back onto the bed.

"Lie down." Kaiba instructed.

"Are we there yet?" Jounouchi ignored Kaiba's last comment as he attempted to sit up again.

He heard Kaiba growl irritated, as the taller man reached over and helped him into a sitting position.

"We're in Kaiba Corp Medical Centre."

Jounouchi blinked, looking around in wonder, taking in his surroundings. He was lying on an examination table, apparently in a clinic. Then realization set in.

"WHAT? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SEND ME TO MY VET! MY FIRST PATIENT COMES AT TEN AM!" Jounouchi heard himself yelling before he even realized.

"Looks like the medication worked like magic." Kaiba commented dryly as a doctor stepped in.

"Mn, Mr Jounouchi, I'm glad to see you've woke up." The doctor said cheerfully, unaware of his patient's prior outburst.

"I have work to do, I want to leave now-" Jounouchi mumbled but never got to finish his sentence as the doctor popped a thermometer into his mouth.

"You were having a very high fever when Mr Kaiba brought you in." The doctor stated flatly. "How long have you had this flu? Why didn't you see a doctor earlier? It could have developed into a case of pneumonia."

Jounouchi mouthed the doctor's words in his head.

The doctor pulled the thermometer out of Jounouchi's mouth and frowned at the reading.

"Well?" The doctor prompted.

"I saw a doctor about 10 days ago, but the medication was finished before the flu was gone." Jounouchi coughed glumly.

"And that would make you sick since when?"

Since the day Kaiba kissed me and I dumped my head into the fish tank.

"Two weeks. "He said stuffily.

He thought he heard Kaiba take in a deep breathe from the corner where he sat.

"Can I go now? I've got a job to do." He pressed.

"Didn't know you were a workaholic, mutt." Kaiba interrupted from aside.

"I've given you a fever shot and a flu shot but your fever is still on the high side. I'm afraid I can't let you go to work." The male doctor said apologetically. I'll write you a medical leave-"

"I don't need a medical leave. I've been working like this for the last 14 days and survived it and I will continue to survive it." Jounouchi hissed as he struggled to get off the bed. The puppies and kittens in the pet shop had to be starving.

"Please, Mr Jounouchi." The doctor pleaded, looking to Kaiba for help.

Jounouchi watched as the CEO merely stood up and left the room.

"Where are my clothes? I want to get out of this blue thingy." Jounouchi stood up and started hunting around the room for his clothes, his headache was returning and the room was starting to spin a little.

"Aha! There they are!" He declared triumphantly as he found the wet clothes dumped in a plastic bag.

"You can't wear those! They will make you even sicker!" The equally- stubborn doctor threw his hands into the air, exasperated.

"That is none of your business. I will walk back to Puppy Love in the rain if I have to." Jounouchi announced obstinately as he proceeded to strip off the blue hospital drapes, struggling with the plastic material as he tried to concentrate on his thoughts. His brain didn't seem to work very well today.

The General Practitioner shook his head at the stubbornness of his patient.

Jounouchi was struggling to pull up his pants when the door opened.

A light thud was heard as he turned to look at the door, revealing a very astonished Seto Kaiba, whose face was completely flushed.

* * *

  
Jono held the pencil tightly and carefully traced out the dotted lines on the page.

"I'm done!" He happily announced as he finished outlining the last dots and leaned back to beam at his accomplishment.

"How you doing, Seth?" The small boy turned around to see his older brother still hard at work tracing out 'B's on the next page of the book. Seth's page was neat, with every line in place, and not a letter out of shape.

Jono turned back to his own work and compared it to his brother's. On his white sheet of paper, unlike Seth's, his outlines were out of place, his 'A's crooked and severely out of shape, others were upside down.

"I thought we only have to to 'A'th?" Kisara sitting beside him asked as she turned around to peer at Seth's beautiful work.

"I can't stop." Seth whimpered, his eyes watered as he finished his 'B's and proceeded to 'C's.

Kisara's eyes widened in surprise.

"Why not?" She asked innocently.

Seth was visibly even more upset at the question as tears started rolling down his cheeks.

Jono immediately yelled, "MISS TOMATO!!!"

Some of the students looked up as Miss Yamato make her way over to the trio's tables.

"It's Yamato, Jono." She reminded as she knelt down beside the boy's sobbing brother. "It's okay, Seth, look at me."

It took a little coaxing from the gentle teacher, but finally the boy looked up, tears still flowing.

"You did very well." The teacher complimented, flipping back to the page of 'A's.

The boy blinked away his tears, smiling.

The school bell rang.

Miss Yamato quietly took away Seth's workbook and stepped back to the front of the classroom.

"You are expected to be back in the classroom when the next bell rings. Our classroom is Tiger. There is a picture of the tiger on our door so you will be able to find it. That's all. Thank you class."

As the class thanked her and most of the students filed out the classroom, Seth wiped off his tears and turned to his brother and Kisara.

"Thank you." He mumbled to Jono.

"No sweat." His twin brother grinned back to him.

"So what to we have to to now?" Kisara piped up beside them.

Seth shrugged. "It's break. We can do anything we want."

Kisara looked thoughtful for a while, and then she spoke. "Anything?"

"Uh huh." Seth replied doubtfully.

"Then I've got a thuperb idea!"

* * *

  
They were back in the car, where Jounouchi sat quietly in the passenger seat beside him.

Kaiba's mind couldn't help but go back to when they were still in the clinic. Knowing that the wilful mutt would never stay in the clinic, he had left the room to retrieve some dry clothes for him.

When he had returned, the mutt had greeted him with a more than half-naked body.

His blood had all flushed to his face as he dropped the clothes in shock.

Jounouchi had stared back at him for some ten seconds while the doctor had stared at them blankly.

Finally, Jounouchi had yelled, "What are you looking at, money-bags? Never seen one of your species without clothes before?"

That was an overstatement, considering that Jounouchi was at that point wearing at least his underwear and half a pair of trousers.

Kaiba had picked up the dry clothes and managed to say, "I never considered you as one of my species."

He had then handed the dry clothes over to the mutt and left the room to acquire the mutt's medication.

"These are yours?" Jounouchi asked abruptly, referring to the clothes he was wearing, disrupting Kaiba's thoughts and the silence between them.

"Mn." Kaiba grunted, turning away from the road to observe the mutt in his clothes briefly. What usually appeared to be a tight long-sleeved turtleneck shirt on Kaiba looked like a dark loose sweater on the smaller sized guy. Kaiba had not changed his dressing style much in the last ten years. He still wore turtlenecks and trench coats. The only change in his dressing was that he traded his leather tights for slacks which were more comfortable and formal when it came to working.

Jounouchi, on the other hand, he realized from their last few meetings, still wore his trademark slacks and T-shirts. The only time he had seen Jounouchi not in T-shirt was at Shizuka's wedding.

"You leave clothes at the medical centre?" Jounouchi asked dumbly.

"Stupid mutt." Kaiba muttered under his breathe. "I have spare sets in the car for circumstances like this."

Uncomfortable silence continued in the car.

Finally, Jounouchi spoke, "At Shizuka's wedding..."

Then he paused.

Kaiba waited for him to continue.

The silence lengthened.

Kaiba was still waiting.

Jounouchi turned away and stared out of the window. It was then Kaiba realized that Jounouchi had decided not to go further into the topic.

Frowning, he pressed, trying to sound as casual as he could, "What about the wedding?"

He could hear Jounouchi growl under his breathe.

"At Shizuka's wedding you-" Jounouchi spat out the words but ended it without completing the sentence again.

Kaiba set the car into cruise mode and leaned back into his seat, waiting impatiently for whatever Jounouchi had to say.

Another long pause passed before Jounouchi finally turned back to him and hissed, "Damnit, at Shizuka's wedding, you kissed me, why?"

"Why did you kiss me back?" Kaiba answered softly.

At the question, Jounouchi immediately reverted back to staring out of the window.

Kaiba waited wearyingly for Jounouchi's reply, hoping the mutt would just speak the words. It was becoming an annoyingly long wait.

"I-" The mutt broke off, "Forget it. Forget the whole damned thing. It never happened. You never did it and I never did it back."

Kaiba blinked.

"And you never do it again. I don't care why you did it and you don't ask why I did what I did."

Kaiba blinked again. Then he felt a surge of anger rising within him. If he expected anything from the mutt, it wasn't this. A punch in the face would beat the reply Jounouchi just gave him.

Idiot! His mind was screaming inwardly at the young man sitting beside him. It was impossible to believe that the guy was an idiot back when they were still teenagers and he was still an idiot now. Yet back when they were teenagers, Jounouchi would have knocked his teeth out if Kaiba had attempted to even touch him.

Whatever the case, Jounouchi's reaction was truly more than disappointing to Kaiba. Kaiba had clandestinely hoped that the mutt's reaction was one of anger. It had been fun to provoke Jounouchi with stupid dog jokes when they were back in high school. Watching Jounouchi bristle and fume was one of the best entertainments in Kaiba's life. But now Kaiba wanted more than that. He suddenly realized why he had kissed Jounouchi- he wanted to see Jounouchi's reaction; to push Jounouchi, to see Jounouchi's limit. It was what he had been doing during all those high school years, except now he did it in a different, in a sexually-inclined way and perhaps, get a different type of reaction from Jounouchi.

"We passed Puppy Love." Jounouchi reminded blandly as their auto-mode car sped passed the intersection.

Kaiba turned back to the steering wheel silently and shifted the car out of cruise-mode, making a u-turn at the next intersection.

Minutes later, they were in the shop where puppies and kitties whimpered hungrily from their cases.

Kaiba found himself wincing as Jounouchi lapsed into another record- breaking series of coughs.

"You shouldn't be working at all." He scolded, resting a hand on Jounouchi's neck. The sick man was warm and wet.

"I'm perspiring. That means I'm on the path to recovery." Jounouchi coughed again and pushed Kaiba's hand away, before lapsing into another Guinness- record succession of sneezes.

From a corner of the room, a colourful parrot chucked in delightful hilarity.

Kaiba watched in amusement as Jounouchi picked up a toy Flame Swordsman and threw it across the room weakly, the doll missing the parrot by some thirty feet.

The parrot screeched in ecstasy.

"How are you going to work if you can't even aim straight?" Kaiba asked as he followed the veterinarian into the pet clinic that was located within the pet shop.

"I'll be fine, Kaiba." The shorter man said irately as he sat down at his office table and laid his head on the pet examination table. "You can leave now, or if you want to stick around, make yourself busy feeding the puppies."

"I'm not going to feed those puppies of yours!" Kaiba snapped as he left the room, entering the adjourning pet shop.

In the pet shop, the parrot was still screeching away at a high pitch that left a ringing in Kaiba's ear, while puppies and kitties whimpered away in hunger

One active Golden retriever puppy had somehow managed to get out of its case and was licking Kaiba's leathers shoes playfully and spitting at the leathery taste.

"What do you want, mutt?" Kaiba asked as he picked up the fur ball gently. The CEO had a soft spot for children and small animals. The puppy's stomach rumbled in response.

Kaiba frowned and looked around the room; there were another 3 rooms in the back beside Jounouchi's vet.

He soon discovered the kitchen where the pet's meals were located.

"Why do I have to do this?" He grumbled as he collected the animals' bowls and filled them with the different creatures' food before returning the bowls to the respective cages, with the golden retriever bouncing happily beside his feet.

While the pets attacked their food feverishly, Kaiba busied himself refilling the animals' water bottles.

The golden retriever puppy, having quickly finished the bowl of dog food Kaiba had laid out for him on the floor had started to chew on his shoelaces.

"Down mutt." Kaiba instructed, exasperated as the puppy continued to chew away happily. "Stupid mutt-"

"STUPID MUTT!" The parrot screeched from its corner of the room and never knew what hit it when it fell unconscious from its stand.

Kaiba was standing back beaming at his handiwork-the puppies, kitties, mice, snakes and every other living creature in the pet shop fed and now happily sleeping or begging to be let out and play, when the pet shop door swung open.

He turned around to see Bakura, who had paused in his brisk steps when he saw Kaiba.

Bakura was a lot unlike how Kaiba remembered him- not from their last two meetings at Yugi's place and Shizuka's wedding, but when they were back in high school. There was still the same long mane of white hair, the same face, but that was all the resemblance that remained. The guy was obviously taller than when Kaiba had left the city. Then again, hadn't they all grown taller, considering that even Yugi was no longer the 4 feet hobbit he was?

Bakura had traded his British fashion for a tighter and semi-translucent white shirt and black low-cut slacks, which looked amazingly sexy on him. Even Kaiba had to give him points on his new sense of fashion. Bakura's expressions, Kaiba noted with vigilance, was still sweetly and blur. Nevertheless Kaiba knew the British young man was more than his angelic- features, taking in account that the guy had somehow managed to seduce Hiroto Honda, whom as far as Kaiba was concerned, was still a porn-watching straight when Kaiba had left the city.

"What are you doing here?" Bakura asked with a tone that was some sort a combination of shocked and not-so-surprised.

While Kaiba did not bother to answer, the golden retriever bounded over to the white-haired male happily and flipped over for a belly scratch.

"Where's Jou?" Bakura asked as he knelt down to scratch the puppy.

"He's in the vet, sick and sleeping." Kaiba answered shortly.

"So you're here to help him take care of the shop while Shizuka's not around?" Bakura asked testily. "In that case, you forgot to change the littering papers."

Kaiba didn't like the tone the shorter male was talking to him in. It was like Bakura was assessing him.

"I came to look for Jou, but I guess you would do too. In fact, better." Bakura stood up and leaned against a row of cages, eyeing him.

"I don't think anything concerned with Jounouchi has anything to do with me." Kaiba snapped. He definitely didn't like the way Bakura was looking at him either.

"Not the way I see, seeing that Jou is sick and you are here helping him instead of me or Honda."

Kaiba glared at Bakura. "What do you mean?"

"Let's say that Jou is sick and Shizuka and the kids are not around. Under normal circumstances, the guy would ask me or Honda to come help, because it is impossible for him to handle the vet and the pet shop alone. But, he doesn't. Jou didn't even inform his best friend, Honda, that he's sick."

"Stop beating around the bush," Kaiba snarled. "What are you getting at?"

"I want you to keep Jou off Honda." Bakura replied instantly.

What about Jounouchi and Honda?

"You like Jou, I can tell that. You try so hard not to show it, or you probably haven't realized that you like him yet." Bakura continued, smirking. "It goes way back, maybe even when you first saw Jou, but while your heart knows it, your rational mind refused to accept it, until now."

"Who are you to say that? You have no proof to back you up." Kaiba snapped.

"I don't need proof, Seto. I know it, you know it too, deep down, but you're too proud to say it."

"Since when did we get to a first-name basis?"

"Yugi, Honda, Tea, they probably never noticed it, the way you looked at Jou, the way you treated him roughly was a sign of your affection. But, it isn't difficult for a gay to recognise another of his species. Mokuba once told me you dated a few girls when you were in university, so I guess that makes you a bisexual. Whatever the case, we're in the same boat and I need your help, as much as you need mine, so I guess you better start calling me Ryou."

Kaiba scowled as their conversation was briefly interrupted by a lady who entered the shop hugging a small Pomeranian.

While Bakura led the lady to the vet, waking up Jounouchi before letting the lady enter, Kaiba mulled over what Bakura had just said. He was bisexual, a truth that he knew and admitted in his heart, but definitely not in front of Kisara, Mokuba and others. Over the years in USA, before Kisara had came into the picture, he had had some half-serious relationships with both men and women alike, but none of them eventually worked out. He had found them too affectionate, too eager for his attention and love, so much that it led him to wonder if they were after him or his money. They were too willing, too easy to conquer it was no challenge.

But did he like Jounouchi, as in Bakura's words? Kaiba wasn't too sure about that.

"Busy thinking?" Bakura's words dropped him back onto reality.

"What about Jounouchi and Honda?" Kaiba swallowed his pride and asked.

"Hiroto liked Jou. And I'm thinking he still likes him." Bakura rolled his eyes, visibly annoyed.

"So? You are worried that he would leave you for Jounouchi? The mutt's straight as far as I discern."

"Wrong. He was straight, until you kissed him on the beach two weeks ago."

"You saw us at the beach!" Kaiba found himself growling at the white-haired male.

Bakura nodded, smirking.

"Hiroto and I were there. We both saw it, how you kissed Jou and Jou kissed you back. Then the kiss was abruptly disrupted and Jou ran away. Hiroto dumped me behind the rocks and ran after Jou."

"I'm all ears." Kaiba retorted, folding his arms.

"Hiroto refused to tell me anything after he returned, but he obviously wasn't happy. I threatened him to sleeping on the couch until he told me what happened after he chased after Jou. He agreed appallingly since he wasn't in the mood for bed activities anyway-"

"I don't need to know about your sex life."

"Fine. Within the following ten days, I got Hiroto drunk and everything spilled out. Hiroto had always had something for Jou since they were in junior high, that Hiroto told me himself a long time ago. Then apparently, when he chased after Jou, he confessed his love for Jou. Jou insisted that the two of them could only be friends. But we all know, love works in a strange way, Jou might just fall in love with Hiroto if he is officially bisexual. And now Hiroto is completely pinning for him, he tries not to show it in front of me, but I knew all along he never got over Jou completely, not in the three years I've been with him."

"So Honda never loved you and you're blaming it on Jounouchi?"

"Of course not. Hiroto definitely loves me, but the sudden prospect of Jou as a possible love mate triggers the feelings he held for him long ago. It is just like when a guy sees an old crush and still has feelings for her. The feeling won't last long, but I wouldn't risk it. Heck, you should understand, old crushes die hard."

"And what has it got to do with me?" Kaiba asked haughtily.

"A lot. Because you started it." Bakura replied seriously.

"How so?"

"If you never kissed Jou, Jou would not kiss you back and Hiroto would not imagine that Jou is gay and I would not be facing the crisis of my relationship."

"Need me to repeat? The mutt is straight, as the crow flies."

"I don't think so, Seto." Bakura replied. "Maybe he was, but I think he might be turning bisexual."

"I thought you have some sort of a gay or bisexuality sensor?" Kaiba mocked.

Bakura ignored his comment.

"Whatever the case, I don't want to lose Hiroto. So I want to help you get Jou."

"What makes you so sure that I want Jou-nouchi?" The short form was getting to him.

"You're impossible." Bakura retorted. "Just admit it, you like that puppy."

"Why do you bother telling me this? You came to look for Jounouchi, obviously to tell him not to go near Honda."

Bakura shrugged. "That was my original plan, but Jounouchi can tell Hiroto to go and die and Hiroto would still be moping for him after jumping off a cliff."

"Great story, but I have no interest in joining your rally."

"I knew you would say that. So I decided to make it interesting for you." Bakura added. "It's a game, a challenge for you to get Jou and make him want you."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

Bakura smirked and continued, "There are no rules. I'll help you at any point of the game if you need it, though I doubt you would ask for it. You don't have to be in love with Jou to play the game, just make him want you and leave Hiroto alone. I'll do my part to keep Hiroto off the field and the prize at the end of the game is of course, Jou. "

Kaiba caught on the ruse instantly. Bakura's idea was to let Kaiba do most of the work while he would just sit back, relax and let Honda fall back into his lap after losing Jounouchi to Kaiba. As much as Kaiba hated being made use of, he had to admit that the game was not a very bad idea. It was really simple and Bakura had given him the choice to choose between being serious in the relationship or to just making fun of the mutt.

Bakura allowed time for Kaiba to think over, while directing a young lady and a rabbit to seats outside the vet while waiting for Jounouchi to get over his current patient.

"Why are you doing this to Jounouchi? You are leaving him at my mercy." Kaiba asked icily.

"You sure are suspicious, aren't you?" Bakura replied impatiently.

"I'm careful with my investments."

"Does that mean you're going to invest your real emotions and feelings into this?" Bakura grinned.

"That is none of your business. Just answer me." Kaiba retorted.

"Jou is a good friend of mine. But let's just say all is fair in love and war."

"Fine. I accept your challenge." Kaiba finally said.

Bakura smiled knowingly. "I knew you would eventually. This is just between the two of us. I'm leaving Jou to you, got to go now. Give him a goodbye hug for me. Have fun."

Kaiba scowled, watching the white-haired male exit the pet shop and disappeared from sight.

There was nothing more for him to do now besides replacing the puppies and kitties' dumping sheets and think about what he had just put himself up to. He seldom turned down challenges, but that was not the reason he had willingly accepted Bakura's challenge. He had accepted it because...because it would be fun, Kaiba told himself.

The door to the vet opened and the thankful lady with the Pomeranian came out with Jounouchi.

"Come in please." Jounouchi greeted his next patient hoarsely and then disappeared into the room again.

Kaiba wondered if Jounouchi even knew that he was still around.

* * *

  
Hours passed, Kaiba had cleaned most of the animals' cages and tidied up the premises while patients came and left. The last time he had done actual housekeeping was when he was still back in the orphanage with Mokuba, where the kids were put on regular housekeeping shifts. Housekeeping wasn't a difficult task, the way Kaiba saw it. Being an organised person by nature, it was beyond Kaiba how the Jounouchis could leave their socks and cup noodle cups lying about in the rooms at the back.

Similarly, it was also beyond him why he, the CEO of Kaiba Corp was doing housework in a pet shop.

It was nearly one in the afternoon when Kaiba knocked on Jounouchi's clinic door. The last patient had left some half an hour ago and Jounouchi had stayed in the office since then.

No response.

The door wasn't locked. Kaiba took the liberty to enter and found the mutt sprawled on his back across the large examination table, snoring lightly.

Kaiba quietly made his way over to the table and leaned over to examine the mutt's sleeping face, placing his hands along the table edge to balance himself.

Jounouchi looked absolutely peaceful when he was sleeping, a small smile playing on his lips, the corner of his lips twitching every now and then. His blonde hair fell messily over his forehead and eyes.

The temptation to reach over and brush the hair out of Jounouchi's face was irresistible.

Quietly, Kaiba reached over and let Jounouchi's hair sift though his fingers. He allowed his eyes to wander over the mutt's body, starting from his rising chest and finally ending on Jounouchi's soft lips.

He leaned in closer. He could smell faint cinnamon and starch on his own clothes that Jounouchi was still wearing mingle with the strong smell of vanilla. The smell of vanilla was overwhelming; Kaiba suspected Jounouchi used the cologne heavily to cover the smell of his patients. Not that it mattered much to Kaiba, Kaiba liked vanilla. Jounouchi with vanilla smelled too sweet for Jounouchi's own good. It made him seem so sweet, it made Kaiba want to lick him, to kiss him on those soft, gentle lips...

_You never do it again!_

Jounouchi's angry warning flickered in his mind for but one second before the smell of vanilla besieged Kaiba's senses and mind again. After all, he had never promised Jounouchi anything...

Jounouchi's lips were but hairs away. Kaiba could feel Jounouchi's warm breathe on his cheek as he shortened the distance between them.

Vanilla... sweet sugary vanilla...

-A cell phone rang and vibrated in Jounouchi's white coat hanging from a coat rack behind Kaiba.

Kaiba snapped himself out of his vanilla trance and stepped back away from the examination table.

Jounouchi's features crunched up on the sudden interruption to his sleep. One eye opened and gazed blearily at the irritated CEO.

"My phone-" Jounouchi garbled hoarsely.

Wonderful timing, Kaiba glowered. It simply couldn't come a minute later. He turned and dug the phone out of the white coat. Ignoring Jounouchi's incoherent mumbles he answered the phone.

"Kaib-" The CEO begun his custom greeting but was immediately cut off.

"Mr Jounouchi. This is Madam Momiko, your sons' principal," The voice at the other end greeted coldly. "Please come and pick up your two little buggers- I mean your two little boys immediately. They have gotten themselves into VERY serious trouble and I have no reservations towards EXPELLING them from our school right away!"

The prejudiced principal making trouble for Jounouchi again. Kaiba was resolute in firing her as soon as he could. He snorted, "This is Seto Kaiba."

A nearly inaudible gasp was heard and Kaiba almost smirked. Catching people off their guard was a sport he particularly enjoyed.

"Mr Seto Kaiba?" The principal stuttered, obviously taken aback.

"Yes, Kaiba speaking." Kaiba answered, "Madam Momiko, what seems to be the problem with Mr Jounouchi's two boys, or his two buggers as you called them?"

"Well erm, Mr Kaiba....I would appreciate greatly if you would put Mr Jounouchi on the line."

The hell I would, Kaiba scowled. His dislike towards the principal was intense since the day he first saw her speak unkindly to the mutt. "Mr Jounouchi is not feeling well. If there is a need, I'll go down personally to settle whatever problem you think is so serious you have to expel the two boys."

"...that is not really necessary, Mr Kaiba – "

"I'll be there." Jounouchi snatched the phone away and croaked into it.

Kaiba frowned in censure. Stubborn mutt. He watched as the disoriented veterinarian pocketed the phone, stumbled off the examination table and proceed to cleaning up the vet clumsily. He observed as Jounouchi's face fell on recalling that his car was left at the school and that he would have to hail a cab there.

"I'll drive you to the school." Kaiba offered. Partly because he didn't want to leave the mutt on his own and also because he suspected that Seth and Jono got into trouble because of Kisara and that the school had not dared to inform him because he was the great Seto Kaiba.

"Thanks." Jounouchi's reply was soft but grateful.

They piled into the car as soon as Jounouchi checked the pets and locked the shop. While Jounouchi was checking on the animals, Kaiba was surprised by a mild sense of worry on his mind- a worry that he had not done a good job on a work that could earn him an endorsement or some sort. It was a disposition that he seldom had anymore, considering that he was Seto Kaiba who listened to no one's orders.

"Sleep now. I'll wake you up later."

"Hm..."

Kaiba shook his head as he pulled out of the vet. Jounouchi was already fast asleep, again.

* * *

  
"...Catching spiders, insects and setting them free all around the school compound scaring students, teachers and disturbing lessons. Our school do not appreciate their behaviour at all! And what is this 'duelling' obsession that your two sons are into? Our school do not support violent and aggressive games, especially when it's played during lessons time. And worst of all, you two sons influenced the entire school and caused great disruption to our lessons. Mr Jounouchi, who should the school hold responsible to if a student should be bitten and poisoned by a particular insect or spider? And who should pay for the cost required for cleaning out all the insects and pests?" The principal snapped as she stared hard at Jounouchi across her.

Seth and Jono, sitting behind their daddy on a couch beside the door watched their daddy stifle a yawn for the umpteenth time as the principal droned on about what they had did.

"Seth, was what we did really so bad? Maybe we shouldn't have done it." Jono whispered.

"It's not our fault that the whole school started joining in our Kaiba Insect Prix, it was fun and everyone liked it, except the teachers. Besides, it was the seniors who released the insects to scare the teachers." Seth reasoned.

"Do you think daddy will scold us when we get home?" Jono whispered.

Seth shook his head, "I don't know, but Kisara's daddy sure looked unhappy when he came. I wonder if Kisara went home with her daddy yet."

Jono nodded, "I think we are going to get grounded from watching Hamtaro for at least two weeks. Anyway, did you see daddy come in Kisara's daddy's car? I wonder why daddy was in Kisara's daddy's car."

Seth shrugged again, "I don't know. Like -why was daddy hugging Kisara's daddy at the shrine the other day?"

Jono pondered for a moment and drew up a conclusion, "Maybe, just maybe... they are like Uncle Bakura and Uncle Honda."

Seth gasped in horror. "You mean they are gay?"

"Happy? Not now, I think."

"I mean gay!"

"Er...happy?"

"I mean, daddy likes men. Like Uncle Bakura likes Uncle Honda. I heard Aunt Anzu mention that once." Seth explained in one breathe.

"Oh," Jono asked artlessly, "Is it wrong to be gay? And does that mean is daddy going to marry Kisara's daddy? Coz if they do, we get to play with Kisara everyday-"

A tap on the table shut the two boys up. They glanced up to see Madam Momiko glaring at them callously.

"She's a witch." Jono mouthed to his twin and Seth nodded.

"As I was saying, Mr Jounouchi, perhaps you should teach your sons about discipline and precincts before sending them to a school, be it a normal or special school, to wreck havoc. But then again you are a single parent and unmarried..."

Seth and Jono swallowed, they could feel their daddy's silent resentment in the particular discriminatory comment.

"We should pour water onto her. She'll melt." Seth mouthed to Jono.

The principal went on to give her homily on the tribulations of single parent-hood and unmarried parenting. "Children growing up with a father lack the dependability and adoration that only a maternal figure can provide. Considering that you are an unmarried parent, this influences your children furthermore and thus they lack a sense of responsibility."

"From what I know, Seth and Jono are very responsible children." Jounouchi spat, visibly offended.

"We should get Kisara's daddy to give her a piece of his mind." Seth whispered dejectedly.

Jono nodded, "Kisara is so lucky Madam Momiko is afraid of her daddy."

"Holding a Duelling Insect Grand Prix and creating mayhem and disruption in the school do not prove your claim, Mr Jounouchi." The principal continued on, "From my years of experience, when a child goes around disturbing lessons, playing with insects and plotting an insect revolution, it's usually to call upon attention. Mr Jounouchi, are you giving your children enough attention?"

"OF COURSE I GIVE MY CHILDREN ENOUGH ATTENTION!" Jounouchi roared, before starting a record-breaking series of coughing again. He managed to take a sip of the tea that Miss Yamato had served earlier to stop the coughing.

Seth and Jono bit their lips. They had NEVER seen their daddy so enraged. The last time their daddy got angry was when a patient's owners accused him of killing their dog when it was obvious that the poor dog died from its owners' abuse, and daddy had not been so mad even then.

"I read hostility from your tone." The principal stated persistently, "If you are unhappy with our school's management, you are free to enrol your children elsewhere."

The principal office door swung opened.

"He's not enrolling his kids into any other school." Kaiba interrupted.

Seth and Jono looked up at Kisara's daddy with hope. Apparently, the CEO had stepped into the room on hearing Jounouchi yell.

"I've spoken to my daughter Kisara as well as Miss Yamato and they have both explained the situation to me. It seems that you, Madam Momiko have a misunderstanding. From what I heard, Kisara was the one who actually held the Kaiba Duelling Insect Prix and caused all the disturbances."

"Mr Kaiba –"

"I'll compensate for all the damage that the Prix had caused. Nevertheless, it appears to me that it is not the Insect Prix that you are upset about"

"I-"

"It annoys me greatly when people go back on their words. I though we had an understanding that the school will not be prejudiced towards single parents?"

"Yes, Mr Kaiba I –"

"I'll be talking to the School's Board of Directors. You might consider stepping down before you receive their call." Kaiba recommended icily.

The principal fell back onto her chair, defeated.

"We'll take our leave." Kaiba notified and dragged the blonde roughly all the way to his car for the second time in the day.

Seth, Jono and Kisara followed their daddies behind quietly and piled into Kaiba's black Matrix.

"Your daddy's way cool." Jono whispered to Kisara. "Madam Momiko looked as if she was going to cry."

"Yeah, but I kinta feel bat for her." Kisara admitted, "Maybe I thhouldn't have helt the Inthect Grant Prith."

A series of coughs from Jounouchi interrupted their quiet conversation.

The kids glanced up to see Kisara's daddy patting the twins' daddy's back worriedly.

"Thethy, Jono, why'th your tatty wearing my tatty's clothth?" Kisara whispered.

The two boys' eyes widened in wonder.  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1)23 pages in words, coz we couldn't stop.

2) Is this too long-winded?

3) Thank you! Reviewers and supporters!

4) We love that kissing scene in chapter 4 too.

5) Sorry to dragon's lair, this fanfiction is meant to be yaoi so it has to be KaibaxJounouchi, but the least we can do to comfort you is to assure that Kaiba is not gay but bisexual.


	8. Chapter 6: Boys' Night Out

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 6**  


* * *

  
"And so he has been chauffeuring me and the kids around for the past one week..." Jounouchi admitted casually as his hands sifted through the brochures and the car performance booklets.

"Yeah, but I still don't get it," Yugi frowned as he served a fresh cup of coffee and sat down by the kitchen table across Jounouchi, "But before that, you sure you don't want any coffee, tea or anything?"

"No, for the one hundred and seventy-sixth time. I would love to, but I am busy downing two of these suckers per day." Jounouchi grumbled glumly as he picked up a hot water tumbler and gulped the stuff down.

"What's in there, anyway?" Yugi asked hesitantly.

"Some crazy herbal remedy that Ka... a friend recommended for my flu. Euthanasia... Echinacea or Eucalytus tea...something like that." Jounouchi mumbled.

"Kaiba?" Yugi asked as he leaned over, taking in a whiff of the potent eucalyptus smell, and immediately backed off, wheezing for fresh oxygen.

"Um, ya. He said he didn't want me to die from respiratory tract infection in his car."

"Does it work?"

"Yeah, I'm much better now, Kaiba said it used to work for him and Mokuba when they were sick. His mother left the recipe and he'd been using it since then, but the taste sucks. So Kaiba said I could add honey if I want to. And I have to continue drinking it for the next two days even after the flu is gone, supposedly builds up the immune system."

Yugi raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Jounouchi asked nervously.

"Nothing, just that for the last three hours we've sitting here sifting through car magazines, you mentioned the name Kaiba twenty-six times."

"You counted it? Are you nuts?" Jounouchi screeched.

Yugi grinned back at him.

Jounouchi glowered." Change the topic, please."

"Sure. Why didn't you inform us that you were sick and that your car was sent to the junk yard, we could have helped you."

Jounouchi shrugged, "I didn't want to trouble you guys. I mean you and Anzu have to take care of Mahaado, Isis, Mana, Marik as well as the shop. Grandfather Sugoroku would die from those two little monsters. My four parents went on a car drive cross-country together..."

"There's still Bakura and Honda." Yugi pressed. "Honda has a lot of free time when he has no major cases. And from what I last heard he is very free recently."

"Well," Jounouchi shifted uncomfortably, Honda was not a topic he wanted to discuss right then. He reached for another booklet and pretended to be busy studying the cars.

"Well?" Jounouchi cringed as Yugi dug into the matter.

"Bakura did pass by Puppy Love once, but he left without saying anything. He has his own cake shop to take care of. Hey, what do you think about this Ford Explorer?"

Yugi glanced at the car model and its performance list. "It looks ten years behind fashion, eats a lot of fuel and you are evading my question. Did something happen between you and Honda? I noticed something strange between the two of you at Shizuka's wedding."

Jounouchi sighed. Nothing escaped Yugi's observant eyes. Jounouchi propped his head up with a hand while a finger on the other hand proceeded to trace imaginary circles on the table.

"It's too complicated to explain." The depressed veterinarian groaned, "I don't even know where to begin."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." The gentle, shorter male offered.

Jounouchi looked up from the table. If there was someone he had to tell the whole thing to, and want to tell the whole thing to, it would be Yugi.

"Does it have anything to do with Kaiba?" Yugi prompted.

"Kaiba has nothing to do with anything." Jounouchi reacted at once. Then he asked slower, "What made you think so?"

"I don't know, just a gut feeling." Yugi confessed. "Plus your mentioning of him twenty-seven times in the last three hours tells me he is somehow on your mind."

"No, it has nothing to do with Kaiba, and the only reason he is and will be on my mind is because I'm cursing him for this crazy euthanasia tea he put me on." Jounouchi lied.

Instantaneously, he felt guilty for lying to his best friend. Kaiba was in his mind because he couldn't get over the whole kissing incident at Shizuka's wedding and how Kaiba was being so civil- not only civil, but actually nice and overly-caring the last seven days, insisting on driving Jounouchi around while Jounouchi was in no state and having no car to drive. Kaiba had not attempted anything similar to their madness on that particular evening or mentioned their little crazy event in the past week he had been driving Jounouchi and the kids around, though. Inwardly, Jounouchi was slightly fuming at his own inability to forget the whole matter when Kaiba seemed to have gotten over it.

"Fine." Yugi took a sip of his coffee.

"I think I'll just start with Honda." Jounouchi mumbled. Talking about anything was better than talking about Kaiba. "Did you know that he was gay?"

Yugi blinked, "Of course, he's with Bakura."

"No, I mean he was gay even way back when he was in junior high and through out high school and even during the times when he dated Shizuka."

"That would have come as a surprise if he isn't with Bakura now. But considering that he is now a couple with Bakura, it is possible. But you mean he's bisexual right?" Yugi reasoned.

"No, I mean gay. He was gay all the while. He never liked girls." Jounouchi corrected, feeling the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. "And...Honda is..."

"Mmp?" Yugi asked, drinking out of his cup.

"Hondaisinlovewithme." The veterinarian blurted quickly before turning away to hide his flushed face. This was more discomforting than when Honda had confessed his love to him.

Yugi looked up from his cup.

"Honda is what?"

"You heard me." Jounouchi hissed, taking a small sip the pungent flu tea and grimacing at it.

Yugi appeared stunned for a few moments. Jounouchi took the time to gaze at the kitchen cabinets and the magnets on the refrigerator in Yugi's kitchen–anywhere but at the shorter man. In the end, he let his eyes linger on the tiled floor, tracing the patterns while waiting for Yugi's reaction.

"You mean to say..." Yugi finally spoke, "Honda has been in love with you since junior high all the way till now?"

Jounouchi nodded glumly.

A smiled appeared to be spilling from the shorter man's lips. "Sounds reasonable, considering all those times he has been so concerned about you during Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, how he followed you into high school, knows everything about you...I should have noticed how Honda had looked when you died during Battle City."

"Don't laugh, Yugi." Jounouchi snorted uneasily, "And don't tell Anzu, okay?"

"I'm sorry. But if Anzu hears anything about this, it's not from my lips." Yugi teased, "So that's why you didn't dare to look for Bakura and Honda for help."

"Yeah." Jounouchi nodded miserably, "Ever since I knew about Honda and his – thing for me, I can't even look at him and Bakura the same again."

Yugi frowned. "Does Bakura know?"

"Yes, he knew it all along. But I don't know how he feels about Honda liking me. But if I knew my partner likes someone else, I'll pound that guy."

"Bakura's not the violent type of people." Yugi reasoned. "But he's easily jealous. Remember how he fired an employee on the spot when the girl flirted with Honda?"

"Don't remind me." Jounouchi moaned as he rested his chin on the kitchen table.

They were silent for a while, then Yugi asked, "But what made Honda suddenly decide to confess his love for you? I mean, he knows he can never be with you, and confessing his love to you can prove to be risky for his friendship with you and his relationship with Bakura."

"Because he saw me-" Jounouchi felt his throat tighten.

Because he saw me and Kaiba kissing, damnit!

"He saw you...?" Yugi prompted.

"He saw me alone." Jounouchi managed to mumble.

Yugi definitely didn't look like he believed him.

"Fine, keep your secrets." Yugi shrugged, changing the subject. "How was Seth and Jono's first day of school?"

Jounouchi smiled. Yugi had always been the sensitive and thoughtful one among them, "They got into big trouble and almost got expelled if Kaiba hadn't helped."

Yugi raised a brow, "Kaiba again?"

"Kisara, Seth and Jono held a Dueling Insect Grand Prix in school and got into trouble after some insects ran loose and terrorized the entire school. The principal was furious beyond words and wanted to expel them. Kaiba insisted that Kisara was at fault too and that the principal was biased to only punish Seth and Jono. In the end, he pressured the principal into resigning." Jounouchi explained quickly.

"Very resourceful and creative kid Kaiba has." Yugi commented, and then picked a brochure from the pile of papers, "And I won't ask why Kaiba would help you and why he has been so overly-helpful the past few weeks, though I'm suspecting something here."

"I-" Jounouchi started to protest but the shorter guy grinned and immediately cut him off, throwing a pamphlet in front of him.

"This Honda CRV is highly recommended. It has compact dimensions and is fuel economic. You might consider getting it."

"I am not getting a Honda, ever. And stop teasing me." Jounouchi squirmed uncomfortably. He didn't need Yugi to keep reminding him about his unresolved problem with Honda.

"Sorry, Jou. Couldn't help it." Yugi smirked meekly.

"You could, you just wanted to rib me. Anyway, I asked Kaiba to join us for our Night Out tonight to thank him for chauffeuring me around the last few days. You don't mind, do you? And anyway, he might not come."

"Nope, he can come if he wants to. Mokuba coming?"

"I don't have to ask him. He's always at Iced Fever on Saturday nights."

"Seth and Jono, where will you drop them?"

"At Mai's. I dropped them there earlier today. I'll pick them up later after the Night Out. They are probably bugging her and Harpy now with their Long Horned Black Beetle and Insector Haga." A particular car model caught his eyes. Sleek, comfortable-looking. He scanned the price – still quite affordable.

"Insector Haga?" The tri-colored hair man sipped his coffee.

"Jono's Praying Mantis. It's his duelist in the Dueling Insect Grand Prix. He named it Insector Haga, said I crow too much about how I beat a guy called Haga when I was younger and the name kind of got stuck in his head. It's the champion of the Grand Prix. Seth's is a Long Horn Beetle called Long Horned." He eyed the car model again; it had a 2.4-liter engine, which could produce 160 horsepower and 162 pounds-feet of torque. Sounded good.

"You let them keep them?"

Jounouchi turned his attention back to his friend, "Yeah, I let them keep them in bottles. But they promised to release them once they get back to school on Monday. Say Yugi, what do you think about this Mitsubishi Outlander?"

"I was wondering if you would ever notice it. I like it." Yugi admitted. "I would buy a Mitsubishi Outlander if my family is smaller. But nine people can't pack into it."

"Of course they can. Your kids are still small. You can buy a bigger car in the future." Jounouchi argued as he skimmed through the car features. Nice, the more he looked at it, the more he liked it. He had a hinge that he would be driving it home later that afternoon.

"Yeah, but my parents, my grandpa and Anzu finds it cram. So you want to go buy it now?"

"Yeah, I might be driving my new car to our Night Out."

"Impulsive, Jou." Yugi shook his head in incredulity while searching for his car keys.

"You know me." Jounouchi grinned.

"Yeah, I knew that since I saw you buy the Air Muscle."

* * *

  
As he pulled out of the driveway of his secretary's house, Kaiba's thoughts were on the upcoming event – the Night Out that he was currently headed to. Even at the moment, it was beyond Kaiba how and why he had actually agreed to attend it.

It was still possible to back out now, though. The CEO told himself. He had never exactly said he would go; he had merely thrown a light grunt that indicated nothing. But Mokuba would kill him right there and then if he even mentioned anything about thinking of not going now.

Despite the fact that he had attended a few parties and gatherings since returning from US, it was an undeniable truth that he still disliked them. Bashes were simply noisy, rowdy and potentially dangerous to his status when things got out of hand, Kaiba believe. But then of course, the unpredictably of parties might also serve as excitements in his considerably boring and monotonous life and - the previous wedding party he attended had just proven that right. His kiss with Jounouchi. Unpredicted. Unexpected.

Lightning could just strike again, tonight.

Nonetheless, earlier the day, he had still chalked out all his reasons for not going and discovered that he had various completely reasonable excuses to not go.

First, Mokuba Kaiba, Domino City's most flirtatious playboy definitely wouldn't be at home on a Saturday night. Instead he would be roosting in the pub called Iced Fever where Yugi gang's Night Out was also held. That meant no one would be home to take care of Kisara if Kaiba went for the Night Out.

Secondly, there were a few files sitting on his desk waiting for Kaiba to read and go over with. He had been putting them off for some time because he had been busy chauffeuring the mutt and the kids around, as well as because he had been helping Kisara in her school work, which bizarrely took up more time than he expected. Convincing the girl that she had to complete her homework before she could play, instead of the other way round, was a far more tedious job than imaginable. Anyway, those files were waiting and -there, another completely reasonable rationale for not going.

Then, there wasn't really any justification for him to go anyway. Kaiba definitely did not consider himself as a member of their clique and it seemed intrusive to join them.

But though the apathy towards the Night Out was there, so was a biting sense of anticipation.

Jounouchi would be there, obviously. And so would Bakura and Honda. Their behaviors towards one another tonight would be the highlight of the occasion and the lure of the Night Out. And the lure of it won over all his other excuses. It was a game, like Bakura had said. A hunting game – hunt your prey, keep it from others and you get your prize at the end. Entertaining, if not thrilling. And Seto Kaiba never lax when it came to playing games. He would make sure that he win, or die trying. The files could wait. Kisara could stay with a babysitter. And he didn't really care if he was intruding the Yugi clique. Hell, they invited him.

Now as he cruised down the road, Kaiba wondered briefly if the situation later would be that of awkward, or that everyone would be pretending that nothing was going on between the four of them.

"Still worried about leaving Kisara at Mrs. Kazumi's?" Mokuba's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"A little." Kaiba replied guiltily, his mind hadn't been on Kisara and his secretary at all, in fact far from it.

Though he had somehow agreed to attend the Night Out in his heart, he had played out Mokuba for a while, letting Mokuba continue convincing and pestering him to go. It was only when Mokuba offered to forfeit one night with the ladies to join Yugi gang's Night Out, that Kaiba decide that his brother's sacrifice was sufficient enough, and agreed that he would go.

The brothers had then come up with a solution with what to do with Kisara. They would drop her off at Kaiba's secretary's house for the night and Mrs. Kazumi would hand over the little rugrat the next morning. Kaiba had been reluctant about the idea, but Mokuba had persuaded feverishly. Kisara had also been more than willing to visit Mrs Kazumi and play with the elderly lady's grandchildren. Moreover, Mrs Kazumi happened to be baking cookies that night and that was more than enough to keep the little girl there. The kindly old lady had too eagerly agreed to the plan when Mokuba joked that they needed her help so that Kaiba could go out and find a wife.

"Mrs Kazumi loves Kisara like her own granddaughter. Kisara may have caused her a lot of trouble but it's obvious that the old lady enjoys Kisara." Mokuba, seated in the front passenger seat, reminded.

"Kisara can be quite a handful. I don't want to lose an efficient secretary due to child-terrorizing." Kaiba muttered absently. Their car steered into a high way and he set the car into cruise mode.

Silence filled the car momentarily, until Mokuba reached over and turned on some soft music.

Kaiba took the time to observe his brother wordlessly. His brother had grown into a self-assured, suave young man. Their eyes bear the most similarity, having the same confidence and intensity, Kaiba noted, except that Mokuba's eyes were still gentler compared to his and held a childish twinkle in it. The younger Kaiba had grown his dark hair into a long mane reaching his waist which he now tied up. Kaiba could still recall how he had persuaded his little brother to grow his dark hair long when Mokuba had wanted to cut it off on entering high school. Their mother had a beautiful mane of black hair, Kaiba recalled telling Mokuba. Mokuba never got to know their mother, but Kaiba remembered enough of her. Now he found himself studying how much Mokuba looked like their mother. Mokuba had their mother's soft gentle eyes and dark hair. He, on the other hand had none of those.

"Brother, what is on your mind?" Mokuba asked out of the blue.

Kaiba raised a brow and continued to stare at his brother, "I thought you always knew what I was thinking, Mokie."

Mokuba shrugged and turned to the window, "I used to, when we were young, when we grew up...even when you were in US,.I always knew...until you came back to Domino City. And after that, I can never figure out what you are thinking, even when we are so close like now. Like– what have you been doing the last few days? You took half-day leaves and extended lunch breaks, not that I'm unhappy about your absence, though."

Chauffeuring the mutt and his puppies all about the City, Kaiba did not answer.

He had been driving Jounouchi around for the last seven days. Jounouchi was completely flushed the first day when Kaiba had pulled up abruptly in front of his apartment when he and the kids were trying to hail a cab to school. He had quickly learned that the mutt's car had expired and offered to drive him for the time being until the mutt bought a new car. While Jounouchi had verbally refused his offer, he had still accepted his services every time he pulled up in front of him.

In those numerous car rides, not once had Kaiba mentioned their little madness at Shizuka's wedding. Neither did he find it necessary to inform Jounouchi about his Sleeping Beauty attempt in the clinic. They spoke and behaved like mature adults, most of the times. Kaiba didn't exactly think that Jounouchi had gotten over the kiss. It was too obvious, every now and then when they were alone, silent in the car, Kaiba would find Jounouchi stealing glances at him, flushing suddenly and trying to hide it.

And now, sitting in the same seat where Jounouchi had sat in the last seven days was his brother, waiting patiently for a reply.

"I decided I could use some break." He lied. It was a lame excuse but the best he could come up with for the time being. Lying to his brother was something Kaiba loathed, but he decided his excuse was not too far from the truth.

"Brother." Mokuba turned back, his eyes fiercely earnest and inquisitive, "Are. You. In. Love?"

Kaiba almost choked on his own saliva.

"What are you talking about, Mokie?" He managed coolly.

Mokuba shrugged, "I just thought that maybe you took time off to date some girl."

"I didn't." Kaiba assured.

"I don't need your assurance." Mokuba bit his lips. That was a sign of Mokuba being mildly upset.

"I want to see you dating. I want to see you fall in love." Mokuba continued. "I mean, I've NEVER seen you court a girl or some sort before. I heard rumors about you having relationships when you were in university and with some employees in US, but you NEVER disclosed to anyone about any serious relationships, and I'm worried. I'm worried that you would still be all alone when Kisara grows up and leaves you. I don't want to see you alone! Brother, have you EVEN loved a girl before?"

Kaiba blinked. Mokuba's hands were clenched into a fist, another sign Kaiba had learned over the years that meant Mokuba was worried.

He sighted their exit, reverted out of cruise mode and steered out of the high way.

Mokuba was still waiting for his response.

"I had some half-serious relationships, Mokie." The CEO finally confessed, "But they did not work out."

Mokuba nodded but he still persisted, "But that doesn't mean that you are giving up on relationships, right? Because if you do, I'm going to start setting up blind dates for you, regardless of your consent."

Kaiba gave a light chuckle. He wondered for a split second if Mokuba was serious about it. But blind dates? That might just be entertaining. Imagine the date's reaction on seeing the CEO of Kaiba Corporation.

"I don't need blind dates, Mokie. But I can promise you that I do not intend to stay single for my entire life."

Mokuba appeared happy and somewhat relieved, "Good. Thank you Brother, sorry I sound like a naggy mother, but I'm just so worried about you-"

Kaiba reached over with one free hand and clasped Mokuba's hand. It had been years since he last held Mokuba's hand. "Shh, I should be thanking you. I should be the one worrying for you, not the other way round."

Mokuba smiled. The two brothers shared the affectionate moment quietly.

"The corner!" Mokuba suddenly shouted. "Turn at the corner up front. After that, turn left at the end of the alley. Iced Fever is the one with coconut trees outside. By the way, we're late."

"We have the entire night, Mokie."

"You said it!"

* * *

  
Loud music and flashing lights greeted Jounouchi as he and Yugi stepped into the pub. He snuck one last look at his new Mitsubishi Outlander before passing through the door completely. The music instantly amplified and Jounouchi whined silently. He glanced at the band. Overdrive, he recognized from his previous visits. They were an amateur band formed by a group of high school students. Their music rocked, but the players sometimes would inadvertently hit a wrong key or live up to their name by too much. But Jounouchi had no doubt they might hit it big some day.

He squinted his eyes and glanced around the pub, the flashing lights were starting a minor headache, but the cool air pretty much neutralized it. Iced Fever was on the slow side for the night, probably due to a new beer offer in the tavern next to them. Usually by nightfall, Iced Fever would be already half crowded, considering that it was a Saturday night.

Jounouchi and Yugi made their way to their customary seats, which was located somewhere near the bar and at the far end of the band. They had the booth pre-booked every time before they came. It was a good seat- near the bar and reasonably far from the bands which could be and were often overly loud.

"Hey!" The bartender raised a hand from behind the bar, "It's been some time since you people came here. I got your seats all reserved preparing for your grand entrance."

"Stop kidding us." Jounouchi grinned as he propped himself down at the bar, "You would be the happiest without us around playing bar bets. And before I forget, you still owe me sixteen shots and twenty beers."

"So what new tricks you brought tonight?"

"Eager to lose some more I see. Bring some beer first." Jounouchi grinned. He had some new tricks up his sleeve that Otogi had showed him on his bachelor's party. "If I loose, tonight I'll buy everyone here a round of drinks. But if I win, Jack, tonight's bill will be on you, got it?"

"Jou-" Yugi frowned hesitantly, "You sure you can do this?"

"Most definitely, Yugi. Haven't I won the previous rounds too?" Jounouchi assured as he filled his and Yugi's glasses. Tonight, some one was going to go home busted and it was definitely not going to be him.

"So what's the deal?" The burly bartender grinned.

"The deal is," Jounouchi begun to explain, "I have a beer here."

He indicated to his half emptied bottle, "I'm going to put the cork back and drink from the bottle without uncorking it or destroying the bottle. You have to figure out how I do it, if you can't, you lose."

"You can't do that." The bartender shot back. He frowned and was thoughtful for a few moments, "In no bloody way can you do that."

"I can." Jounouchi insisted. "Here, press the cork in for your self, make sure it's real tight."

The bartender did it, but he was visible perplexed and curious. Yugi shook his head in amusement.

Jounouchi retrieved the bottle.

"Watch," He smirked. Turning the bottle upside down, he poured some beer from his glass into the depression in the base and then sipped the beverage. "And I win."

"Aw..." The bartender groaned. "Should have thought of that."

"Too late." Jounouchi ribbed, "The bill is on you –"

"Stealing my tricks again, dear brother."

Brother? Who the – Jounouchi turned to see a grinning Otogi, whom he then remembered that the dice-boy had became his brother-in-law.

"Ryuji! We didn't expect to see you here!" Yugi greeted happily. "I mean, you just landed this morning. How was your honeymoon in France?"

"Wonderful!" Otogi beamed as he took the seat next to Yugi. "We had a hell of a time. Shizuka is tired-dead, but I decided to call in on my band of brothers and found them having a Boys' Night Out without me. How could you guys?"

Jounouchi grinned. "We thought you would be too exhausted after a whole day's flight. But I did the trick right, didn't I?"

"Yeah." Otogi agreed.

"Enough of your brotherly talks. Give me your orders." The bartender reminded.

"Nope." Jounouchi smirked. "We gonna sit at out table and wait for girls to treat us. Nah, just serve us ice beer for now. We're waiting for company."

The bartender acknowledged and left them.

"If you're waiting for Bakura and Honda, I think I saw two slime balls at our regular table." Otogi reminded.

The trio turned their attention to their regular table and headed towards it. Bakura and Honda were already there, with Bakura sitting on Honda's lap, his arms around Honda's neck possessively.

"Hey, Jou, Yug! Otogi, welcome back, had a great honeymoon?" Bakura greeted cheerfully.

"A hell of a time, but I got to run in a minute. Told Shizuka I went out to buy some stuff, but I had to come pound you guys for ditching me on Night Out." Otogi answered jokingly.

While Bakura countered Otogi back with dirty jokes, Jounouchi watched Honda quietly. The guy had been silent the whole moment Jounouchi had stepped into his sight or at least since Jounouchi had him in sight. Honda obviously wasn't any more comfortable than he was.

The silence between them was killing, considering usually the two of them were the noisiest and rowdiest around on their Night Out .Jounouchi felt like pounding himself, or asking his new brother to pound him so he could knock himself out and out of the discomfited situation. Bakura appeared to be completely at ease. Yugi was pretty relaxed too, talking to Otogi and Bakura. He better say something before someone noticed the awkwardness between him and Honda.

He opened him mouth but no voice came out. He had no idea what to say to Honda. What could he say to a guy who just confessed his love for you three weeks ago? Gladly, Honda wasn't looking at him, he was looking at his own shoes or somewhere there.

"Sorry we're late, had trouble finding a spot for parking." Mokuba's familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

Jounouchi perked up immediately and caught sight of Mokuba walking towards the table. Following behind, was Seto Kaiba.

"Hi." Jounouchi felt his face catch fire as his chauffer for the previous one week came in full view. It was obvious that the CEO had come straight from work since he was still wearing his working suit. But instead of wearing the neat, pressed suit Jounouchi was accustomed to seeing, Kaiba had his starched cuffs undone and two black onyx studs on his silk white shirt-front unbuttoned, revealing smooth pale skin just under his neckline. An unorthodox thought crossed his mind in the same split second, just as his eyes advanced to the CEO's tight pants which accented his derriere.

What the hell was he thinking? Jounouchi slapped himself mentally and shoved the thought quickly into the back of his mind, together with all the rest of his bizarre fantasies.

"Sit down and make your orders." Yugi motioned to the last few empty seats around the booth, "The bill is on the bartender tonight."

"Jou did his bar bet tricks again? You gotta teach me how to do them, Jou!" Mokuba grinned as he settled down comfortably, pulling Kaiba down beside him between him and Jounouchi. Jounouchi felt a frisson down his back as the hem of Kaiba's slacks brushed past his leg.

"Ryuji taught me most of them." He admitted quietly and pulled his legs away as far away from Kaiba as possible, which wasn't very achievable considering they were seated next to each other.

"What's your order Mokuba?" Yugi asked, "Your usual Mai Tai? And Kaiba, your order?"

"Yeah," Mokuba nodded, "Make it two, Seto will be driving tonight."

"Just water." Kaiba replied.

"A small drink won't kill you." Yugi persuaded, "It's a Night Out."

"No."

"Just a shot." Jounouchi joined in the persuasion.

"Water."

"One shot." Jounouchi persisted. It wasn't fun if Kaiba didn't drink.

"I can't take alcohol." Kaiba finally admitted, "I'm allergic to alcohol."

"You're what?"

"Allergic to alcohol, brewers yeast to be precise." Kaiba repeated grudgingly.

"That's something new." Yugi remarked causally, "Alright, water."

"I've gotta go now." Otogi announced, pulling away from dirty-talks with Bakura, "Got to go back before Shizuka suspects that I'm out clubbing."

"Kay, see ya."

With Otogi's departure, the mood died considerably. Honda and Jounouchi had always acted as the fun-initiators. But now that both of them were silent, the atmosphere was completely awkward.

He had to think of some way to liven up the mood! Or at least talk to someone, anyone - except maybe Honda and Bakura. Jounouchi turned to Yugi but the tri-coloured hair man had gone off to the other part of the pub to play a game of billiards with some stranger. Mokuba had just stolen off to ask some girls for dancing- and there was only Kaiba left sitting beside him.

He stared off at Honda and Bakura, who were locked in a fervent session of necking, not seeming to notice that they were being gawked at. Jounouchi shook his head and proceeded to stare somewhere else – when he felt Kaiba's lips brush past his ear.

Jounouchi almost shot out of his seat as Kaiba's warm breathe lingered on his jawbone for a few moments.

"So how's the sick mutt?" Kaiba whispered into his ear, before pulling away.

"Kaiba –" Jounouchi started off stammering, his mind frantically trying to rationalize Kaiba's bizarre action. His archenemy had been doing nothing but confusing and baffling him ever since he returned to Domino City- though Kaiba's breath by his ear had actually felt very nice...Wait, what the freaking hell was he thinking? Jounouchi's anger kicked in as his initial shock faded.

"What were you doing?" The veterinarian hissed.

"According to the wife of your short little friend over there at the billiard table, this is called showering concern over friends."

Jounouchi bit his lips, "I'm fine. Thanks to your euthanasia tea."

"Eucalyptus." Kaiba corrected.

"Whatever."

"That Mitsubishi Outlander outside the pub is yours?"

Jounouchi was surprised, "Yeah, I bought it today. How did you know?"

"I saw a lot of Duel Monster toys in the backseat of the car. Figured it's either Yugi's or yours." Kaiba explained.

"Oh." Jounouchi nodded. Should have thought of that. "So, where's Kisara?"

"At my secretary's. Seth and Jono?"

"At Mai's."

They were silent for a few seconds again. Jounouchi desperately searched for a way to continue the conversation. It felt plain weird for them to just sit there staring at each other. He considered what topics he could go into. US, work, high school, Kisara's therapy – all seemed boring and dull. He briefly wondered how he had managed to put up with the silence during the last week when Kaiba drove him to work very morning after dropping the kids in school.

"So, do you still duel?" Jounouchi finally asked. The topic was almost the only thing he could think of that they had in common other than kids.

Kaiba appeared surprised at the topic, but he hid his revelation quickly, "Not for a very long time. Do you?"

Jounouchi nodded. Though he no longer dueled as furiously as he did back in high school, he still dueled on-line with opponents across the world on occasions, and he would at times duel with Yugi in front of their kids too.

"You saw me playing it on the net the other day."

The bartender arrived with their drinks.

"Why? You want a duel now?" Kaiba asked.

Jounouchi's eyes widened. "You brought your deck along?"

"The fact that I haven't dueled in a while doesn't mean I discarded my deck."

Jounouchi frowned, recalling how he used to challenge Kaiba recklessly to a duel back in their high school days. He had never won Kaiba in those days, not even once. For a split second, he was tempted to challenge Kaiba to another round, but rationality got the better of him.

"Maybe next time." Jounouchi mumbled. "I didn't bring my deck."

"I didn't know that the mutt knew how to say no to a duel." Kaiba whispered into his ear.

Since when did Kaiba get so close again?

Kaiba's warm breathe was condensing on his ear. A shiver ran down Jounouchi's back.

"Got secrets to share?" Bakura teased from the other end of the booth

Jounouchi immediately reverted his attention to the couple across the booth. Honda and Bakura had broken apart from their prior necking and was staring at them, or at least whilst Bakura was completely nonchalant, Honda was staring hard at him and Kaiba while downing a whole mug of beer.

Kaiba moved away from Jounouchi slickly, "I'm keeping up my end of the game."

Game? What game? Jounouchi wondered nervously, but he wasn't given the chance to finish listening to the low conversation between Kaiba and Bakura as Honda reached over roughly and pulled him away from the table, towards the washrooms.

Jounouchi winced in pain as Honda tightened his hold on Jounouchi's arm and shoved him lightly onto a washroom wall.

"Are you with Kaiba?" Jounouchi found himself questioned at point-blank ranged.

Jounouchi felt his heart pounding. Honda's face was too near to his for comfort. Jounouchi could smell alcohol in his breathe.

"Are you with Kaiba?" Honda repeated his question.

"No." Jounouchi shoved Honda away and headed for the door. "What's wrong with you?"

Jounouchi's heart missed a beat as Honda stride over and leaned against the door before Jounouchi could reach it.

"There's nothing wrong with me, except that I'm madly in love with you and I can't help it!"

Jounouchi grimaced, "Honda. We are buddies! And we will always and only be friends."

Honda looked really bustled. He looked very much worse than when Miho had rejected him.

Jounouchi bit his lips and considered his options, not that he had come up with many anyway. It was better to leave. But clearing up things once and for all was also an issue he needed to deal with. Finally, he strolled over and rested a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "Listen, Honda. I ...I will never lov -like you, like you like me. I can't love a man."

"But you could do it to Kaiba. Like just now, you were practically huddled up with him" Honda persisted. "You KISSED him."

Jounouchi groaned inwardly. Damn the kiss all over again. It was all because of that stupid kiss that he now got labeled potentially gay by Honda and Bakura and thus being courted by his best friend. Damn Kaiba and damn his kiss!

"I told you to forget that." Jounouchi reminded.

Someone tried the door, but Honda was still pressing onto it.

"Honda, the door." Jounouchi rolled his eyes.

"You can't ask me to forget that." Honda protested, "What is done is done!"

"And what can't be changed will not be changed." Jounouchi snapped, his patience running thin. What he really wished he could do right then was to drive home and cuddle up with Seth and Jono in their bed and pretend nothing had happened on Shizuka's wedding. All the troubles just seemed to come rolling after one another and it was all so stupid and complicated.

The man outside banged on the door.

"Jou? Hiroto?" Bakura's voice came from the other side of the door.

"We have to get back. Yugi and the rest will start asking." Jounouchi pulled Honda away from the door. In stumbled Bakura who had been pounding on the door.

"Er, did I interrupt anything?" Bakura stabled himself by clinging onto his boyfriend's arm.

"Not at all, Honda just got a bit tipsy. Say, isn't that your favorite song, Bakura?" Jounouchi smiled falsely, "Go show us some moves on the dance floor with Honda!"

Before the couple could protest or say a word more, Jounouchi had pushed the two of them out the washroom onto the dance floor. The crowd quickly enveloped them and they disappeared from sight.

Stumbling back to their seats, Jounouchi flopped down resignedly. Kaiba was not at the table but standing by the entrance of Iced Fever, probably answering a call from Kaiba Corp or some sort. Mokuba was sitting with a crowd of girls near the band and Honda and Bakura were somewhere on the dance floor. Yugi was still at the billiard table and winning. He turned his attention back to the table and eyed the drinks.

* * *

  
Jounouchi was halfway through his third bottle and watching Kaiba on his cell phone at the doorway swing his arms irately when Yugi plopped down into the seat beside him and pulled the bottle out of his hands.

"How are you going to drive home if you drink yourself drunk?" Yugi complained as he eyed the bottle warily. "What's this?"

"I don't know." Jounouchi mumbled, reaching out for another bottle. "I asked Jack for a drink that will make aallllllll the troubles go away and he came back with six bottles of thissss."

Yugi frowned and moved the bottles to the far end of the table. "You better stop drinking. Let's go to the washroom to clean you up."

Jounouchi tried to push Yugi away as he was led to the washroom. "I don't want to go to the washroooom. All the bad things happen in the washroom And if you dare as much say that you loved me since we were in grade one, I'll personally clobber you."

Yugi sighed and pushed Jounouchi towards the sink, prompting him to splash water on his face. "No love confessions, Jou, I didn't even know you when we were in grade one. Are you drunk?"

Jounouchi chuckled. Considering he could still walk and talk quite coherently, he wasn't completely drunk, inebriated yes, wasted no. He didn't get wasted that easily, but he rather wished he was. He fumbled with the tap and watched the water flow steadily.

"What happened?" Yugi asked gently.

"Happened what?" Jounouchi slurred, half his body atop the basin stand.

"I saw Honda drag you into the toilet. What happened?"

"My buddy, IS completely love-obsessed with me." Jounouchi mumbled, trying to catch the water with a hand. "He thinks I am a gay."

"Jou," Yugi asked cautiously. "Why would Honda think that you are a gay?"

There was a momentarily silence in the washroom.

"Because he saw Kaiba kissing me." Jounouchi whimpered quietly, hoping that Yugi would not catch it.

"Jou, speak up, Kaiba did what?"

"Because he saw me kissing Kaiba back." He whispered in an even softer tone.

"He saw you..." Jounouchi thought he saw Yugi's eyes wide as a saucer.

Jounouchi could stand it no longer. If he had to repeat it for the third time, then the whole world could know for all they cared!

"Because Kaiba KISSED me and I KISSED HIM BACK!" He hissed.

The two men were quiet for almost an eternity.

Jounouchi could tell that Yugi had no idea how to respond. The shorter man was simply staring away shifting from foot to foot, probably wishing that he had never gotten himself involved. Fortunately, Yugi's cell phone rang, saving both of them from the embarrassing awkward silence.

"Yes, Anzu? We're at the pub now."

Jounouchi took the chance to escape the washroom and head back to the seats. He hoped his drinks were still there.

His drinks were, and so were Bakura and Honda.

Honda was glaring at him while Bakura was purring away, trying to recapture his lover's attention.

Jounouchi sat down at the far end of the table where his bottles were and quickly proceeded to down another bottle. He much rather be wasted than to be glared to death by his buddy.

"Hey guys, I got to go." Jounouchi looked up to see a Yugi with the most apologetic look on his face. "Anzu called, said one of the kids is not feeling that well, so I got to go back and check him out."

"Go ahead." Bakura chirped. "We'll see you another time."

Jounouchi nodded.

"Jou, you need a ride home?" Yugi offered. "You can't drive like that."

Jounouchi shook his head. Yugi had his kids to take care of; he didn't want to trouble him. "I'll hail a cab home, or get one of them to send me back."

"You sure?" Yugi questioned hesitantly. Jounouchi caught his concern straight away as he watched the shorter man's eyes trail to Honda and Bakura.

"I will get home." Jounouchi assured, though his mind said otherwise, "Now be off."

"Alright then. Bye." Yugi waved and left hurriedly, though Jounouchi caught his friend stealing worried glances back at him before disappearing out the door.

"Whoa." Mokuba exclaimed as he flopped down beside Jounouchi, "Who drank all this?"

"Me." Jounouchi informed. "You tired of your girls?"

"No. Of course not." Mokuba made a face, "Listen, Jou, I have a favor to ask of you."

Jounouchi frowned. Now what did the younger Kaiba want from him, "If it has anything to do with kissing a man, I refuse."

"Oh, I wouldn't ask you to do anything as silly as that-" Mokuba stopped as he received am offended glare from Bakura, "Sorry Bakura, don't take it too seriously. Jou, I need you to compete in a drinking game."

"Drinking game?"

"Yeah. I got a babe over there who is, really – you know, drop dead smashing. And the deal is if I can get someone to finish up ten shots of rum and still not knock out, she'll go out with me."

"Enlighten me, why would the vice-CEO of Kaiba Corp have to go to such extends to get a date?" Jounouchi asked wryly. Nonetheless, he did some calculations with whatever coherence he still had. Ten shots, that WAS a lot. He could take around five shots of rum and still walk out of here, with some help. Seven shots had been his maximum try. But ten? He might not even be able to get out of bed the next day.

"Please, Jou. You are the best drinker I have around here. I bet you can hold it." Mokuba begged. "Please Jou."

"Alright." Jounouchi nodded in resignation, "But you're driving me home tonight. And you got to pick up the kids at Mai's too."

"No problem." Mokuba's smile was so wide if he smiled any further, his ears would tear.

Fishing his keys out and handing them to the beaming young man, he warned, "Be careful, it's my new car."

"No problem. Go Jou!"

As he trudged over and sat down opposite the alluring beauty, Jounouchi's eyes trailed to Kaiba who was still standing at the door waving his hands in exasperation and annoyance. Perhaps it was his previous four beers kicking in, but Jounouchi couldn't help but keep thinking that Kaiba, standing there, face in deep thought over Kaiba Corp, was darn attractive. He figured that he liked watching men deep in work, just as he enjoyed watching women work around in the kitchen.

God, his thinking was getting so messed up.

"Ready?" Mokuba's date asked, her red lips curved in a sexy pout.

"Bring it on." Was Jounouchi's reply.

* * *

  
"Complete imbeciles!" Kaiba muttered under his breath as he slapped his hand phone shut and pocketed it. He glanced at his watch. The stupid incompetent workers had taken up more than half an hour of his time.

Stepping back into the pub, he noticed that the bar had grown significantly silent and that a crowd had gathered at a booth where Mokuba had been when he last checked.

"Drink. Drink! DRINK! DRINK!!!..." The crowd was now chanting.

Was Mokuba drinking? A drinking game? Kaiba frowned as he pushed his way through the crowd to see the object of their attention.

"Lassst ...one..."

Kaiba reached in time to see the owner of the voice flush down the last shot of rum.

"Mutt!"

"Annnd... I winnn." Jounouchi slurred standing up to prove that he was still sober enough.

Whoops of cheers erupted from the crowd.

"Crazy mutt!" Kaiba hissed under his breathe as he pushed pass the few persons still blocking in way and headed over to retrieve his puppy. One of those persons happened to be Mokuba, with a sexy lady who completely plastered on him.

"Hey, brother, Jou was awesome. You should have seen him!" Mokuba cooed as he wrapped his arms around his prize.

"He could die from alcohol over-doze!" Kaiba reproached irately.

Jounouchi had collapsed onto the couch and was chuckling to himself nonsensically every now and then.

"Dumb mutt!" Kaiba muttered to himself as he leaned down and hauled Jounouchi to his feet, wrapping the drunkard's arm around his shoulder.

Jounouchi was sober enough to look at him and grin sheepishly.

"Idiot! I'm sending you home!" Kaiba glared back at the wasted man. Jounouchi reeked of alcohol, which he did not particularly enjoy.

Jounouchi gave no response as he leaned on Kaiba sluggishly.

"Hey, brother. I kinda promised Jou that I'll send him home and pick up the twins at Mai's on the way. Think you can fill me in?" Mokuba asked sheepishly as he looked over to his new girlfriend briefly to explain his point.

Kaiba glared at his brother.

A head suddenly poked itself through the crowd to see Kaiba holding Jounouchi.

"Jou!" Honda rushed over and snatched Jounouchi away.

"Honda?" Jounouchi's eyes fluttered open for a while and then he mumbled softly into his captor's ear. "I will never love you."

Kaiba felt a smirk creeping up on his mouth as Honda let go of Jounouchi, obviously hurt.

He quickly caught the falling mutt before he hit the ground and allowed him to lean on him.

Then Kaiba turned to his brother. "I'll pick up the twins and send them home. Give me his keys. I'll take his car."

Mokuba nodded, evidently uninterested in anything beside his subject of affection currently, and exchanged car keys with Kaiba inattentively.

Kaiba started to walk towards the pub door, with Jounouchi stumbling along, leaning heavily on him. The crowd automatically parted for him and the mutt.

Before leaving the pub, Kaiba glanced back over his shoulder to see Bakura hugging Honda at a booth. The white-haired male winked and gave a thumbs- up.

One point for the CEO.

Kaiba stepped out of the pub, smirking.

* * *

  
Kaiba navigated his way through the Kaibas' mansion, with Jounouchi clinging on his back and two sleepy boys in tow. Rather than worry about Jounouchi being drunk at home with two helpless boys, he decided that it was easier to bring Jounouchi and the twins home and take care of them for the night.

It was an hour pass midnight. Mai had almost shrieked at them when Kaiba pulled up with a very intoxicated Jounouchi to pick up the boys. The boys were pretty stunned to see their daddy wasted but were too sleepy to question about it. Afterwards, they slept the entire journey back in the car. Jounouchi was completed out.

"Master Seto?" Kaiba's trusty housekeeper cum butler poked his head out of his bedroom in the house as Kaiba passed it.

"Pargan, I thought you were asleep." Kaiba paused in his steps.

"Old people like us need little sleep." The elderly man mused and motioned to the drunkard on Kaiba's back and the kids. "Do you need help?"

Kaiba turned to peer over his shoulder. Jounouchi was hugging him tightly on his back, half-asleep, while the twins looked as though they could collapse on to the floor for a nap right away.

"Yes. Prepare a room for the kids near my room. They're exhausted." Kaiba instructed.

The elderly man nodded in acknowledgement. "And the young man on your back?"

"I'll take care of him. Just prepare another room next to my room when you have settled the kids."

The elderly man nodded again and led the twins away.

Kaiba carried Jounouchi into the kitchen and laid the mutt out on the table.

Jounouchi stirred, his eyes fluttered open and winced at the bright kitchen light. "Where am I?"

"In my house. Stay down." Kaiba ordered. "I'm looking for some stuff to clear your head."

"Not another euthanasia tea..." Jounouchi trailed off as he closed his eyes.

Then he suddenly sat up and choked. "Kaiba, I need to puke..."

"Not here. I'll bring you to the washroom." Kaiba immediately hauled the drunken man onto his feet and half carried half walked him to the washroom. He watched as another wave of nauseous washed over Jounouchi and the shorter man choked and coughed lightly.

"Just a few more steps-" Kaiba barely finished when he watched Jounouchi cover his mouth and gag, a few times – and then gulp down bit by bit whatever he vomited in his mouth right back into his stomach. Kaiba turned away and almost puked right there and then too. Being susceptible to watching people puke didn't mean the CEO was invulnerable to watching people swallow their own vomit. He would rather Jounouchi had threw up on the floor instead of drinking it back. The CEO shut his eyes for a few moments, trying to wipe the episode out of his mind.

"I would rather you threw up on the floor, mutt-"

His sentence was left hanging when Jounouchi threw up his dinner and the ten shots of rum all over him.

Wonderful. Now he had a drunkard throwing up on his back, vomit flowing down his neck all the way to his pants and dripping off on to the floor. He should have just let Jounouchi throw up in the kitchen.

They finally reached the toilet, reeking of dripping vomit and alcohol.

Kaiba rested Jounouchi in the bathtub and left the water running. He suspected Jounouchi had thrown up everything in his stomach and was left all weak and helpless as Jounouchi did not stop him from stripping both of them of their vomit-stained shirts.

"We, are going to take a shower." Kaiba announced. He proceeded to remove the rest of their garments, but when he checked, Jounouchi was already asleep, again.

* * *

  
It was slightly over two in the morning when Kaiba was done with showering the both of them and removing them of all stenches from the vomit and alcohol.

Jounouchi was out like a light lying under the covers in the guest room bed. He had awakened not even once when Kaiba had washed up and dressed the both of them in Kaiba's robes.

Ruffling his brown hair dry with a thick towel, Kaiba wondered briefly on what the mutt's reaction would be the next morning when he woke up to find himself all bathed and dressed by the CEO. Would he be utterly embarrassed? Or conceited and smug? The first response seemed no more likely than the latter, considering Jounouchi's brazen reaction back at the Kaiba Medical Center. Besides, back in high school, they had seen enough of each other in the shower room after physical education lessons to feel gauche. In fact, Jounouchi even had fights in there umpteen times, often wearing nothing or at most a towel wrapped around his waist, never ashamed or introverted about his body – which Kaiba easily understood why, the mutt had the hell of a body that would turn even men's head.

Kaiba's eyes stole their way back to the sleeping blonde. Jounouchi was snoring lightly, his half-dried straw colored hair falling over his eyes. Kaiba's white cotton robe was wrapped snugly around him. Even form a distance, Kaiba could smell his own familiar cinnamon fragrant.

He laid himself on his stomach on to the soft mattress quietly, propping his head up with a hand. Jounouchi looked absolutely serene, he decided, just like the day in the vet.

His eyes found its way to Jounouchi's lips. Soft, gentle. He thought he smelled vanilla, but that was impossible, considering he had just bathed Jounouchi with cinnamon shower cream. Kaiba liked cinnamon as much as he liked vanilla. And Jounouchi was completely scented with cinnamon. His mind momentarily tempted him to lean over and kiss the blonde. Then sensibility kicked in and told him to stay away from Jounouchi's alcohol-stained mouth.

Choosing another act of affection, he reached over to stroke Jounouchi on the cheek when Jounouchi shifted in his sleep, moving closer to Kaiba, until they were but inches apart. For a moment Kaiba was frozen, fearing that Jounouchi would suddenly awake up and scream at him for being in the same bed.

His trepidation was abbreviated when Jounouchi mumbled something incoherent and continued to nap soundly. Kaiba rested his head on to the bed. They were faced-to-faced, so near Kaiba could feel Jounouchi breathing onto his face and smell the mild tang of rum. His hand in the air was about to come down to stroke Jounouchi's cheek when he changed his mind. It was better to simply watch Jounouchi then risk touching Jounouchi and waking him up.

An anomalous thought crossed his mind as he watched on. Jounouchi was asleep, and so was the rest of the household. Mokuba wouldn't be back till the next morning. Kaiba could just – slid into the bed with him ...and watch. Just watch. Watch the puppy sleep. Watch Jounouchi sleep.

Quietly, he crawled under the cover and lay down beside the sleeping form, making sure to leave a comfortable space between the two of them.

And simply watched...  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1) Thank you reviewers and supporters for your kind reviews and responses!

2) Fluff, fluff! We also want more fluff, but the story got its own pace... But definitely more fluff the next chapter!

3) Yep, Jounouchi is a veterinarian so he does have a doctorate and in normal circumstances be addressed as Doctor, but we didn't think that a biased principal would want to address Jou as a Doctor. Besides that, teachers like Miss Yamato would normally address parents as Mr or Madam... We didn't think they would care about the parents' job so we stuck to Mr. And lastly for the doctor at the medical centre, we kind of figured that it didn't matter.

4) For readers who never read Yugioh Manga, Air Muscle is a pair of shoes Jou impulsively bought soon after he befriended Yugi. But he lost the shoes and Yami won them back for him. Since then, Jou wore the shoes all the way to the last book. Reference: Book 2 Game 8.

5) Miho rejected Honda's love confession in Manga Book 1 Game 7.

6) Our puppy just did what Jou did (swallow back his vomit) this morning...


	9. Chapter 7: Kaiba's Haunting

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 7**  


* * *

  
White.

Jounouchi sleepily blinked his eyes a few times and checked the ceiling again.

It was still white. That was strange, considering he had just painted his ceiling a light blue a few weeks ago.

His eyes traveled across the ceiling and moved down the walls, feeding his mind with information until he finally came to a conclusion-

He was in Seto Kaiba's house.

The white ceiling, gold ceiling cornices, light blue walls with scenery paintings. He couldn't be wrong about it. Some time twelve years ago, he had slept in the same house.

A sharp pain shot through his head as he struggled to sit up.

Hangovers...

Jounouchi cursed under his breathe and threw off the bedspread. Mokuba was supposed to send him home, as in, to his own home, and not to the Kaibas' home. And just what time was it anyway? He had work later that day.

Climbing off the bed, he tried to piece together whatever vague memories he had left of the previous night. He had an indistinct remembrance of clinging onto someone and saying something to Honda. Then, there was a moment of darkness. He remembered waking up faintly to throw up and then being plunged into warm water and after that...

He could remember no more. And he didn't want to think more either, the headache was getting worse. He planted his feet on the carpeted floor and stood up. The dizziness in his head clung on for a few seconds before dissipating as blood flowed up to his head.

Heading for the door, Jounouchi paused to examine himself in a mirror. He looked better than he imagined. Currently, he was clad loosely in a white cotton robe, with his hair standing in all directions but untangled. A faint cinnamon fragrant reminding him of a particular someone, lingered on him. Someone had apparently taken the liberty and trouble to bathe him and dress him. Not a very comforting thought. Jounouchi promptly shoved the notion to the back of his mind. For now, he had to find Kaiba.

He made his way out of the room, wincing as another headache seared through his brain. The corridors were empty and he treaded carefully, barefooted on the soft white carpet, to the stairs.

A primeval clock standing by the wall struck and a cuckoo bird shot out, almost striking Jounouchi in the head. The veterinarian winced silently at the bird's singing and glared at the clock. Seven in the morning. Pretty early time for him to wake up, considering he had taken ten shots of rum just the previous night.

"Kaiba?" He gave a soft call, hoping that someone would at least answer him. None came. Signing, Jounouchi strolled down the steps, his ears searching for any sounds indicating life around the house.

The sound of water splashing caught his attention and Jounouchi looked up to catch a glimpse of water glimmering beyond an open floor-length French window. Brown hair, pale skin radiated in the crystal water. Was that Kaiba?

"Kaiba?" Jounouchi called again, louder this time. There were still no answers and the perplexed blonde could only make his way over. His feet led him through the door tightening the cotton robe around him as a cool morning breeze swept by.

Jounouchi's breathe emaciated as all the blood in his body rushed to his head. The scene that greeted Jounouchi was one that he would pay half his life points to see, and bizarrely, also pay the remaining half never to see. Kaiba was in the water, and moving through the water with strong, silent stokes, wearing nothing but a pair of dark blue swimming trunks.

Jounouchi's heart pounded as his eyes followed the swimming man across the water. This sight was more electrifying than when Kaiba had kissed him. He could stand there all day and watch Kaiba swim. The man was simply – hot!

Then he realized the absurdity of it and almost thought himself insane. It wasn't the first time he had seen Kaiba virtually naked. He had seen it only too many times in their high school days, yet here he was, standing beside the pool, gaping at Kaiba like a turned-on fool. Then again, they were no longer the foolish adolescents they had been back in high school. Kaiba was now comparatively well-built and, most definitely way sexier than he had been back in high school. His body was just- Jounouchi took sometime pondering on the word – sexy.

Finally, the veterinarian took a deep breathe and half-closing his eyes, willed himself to calm down. He was not gay or bisexual and he meant it. He swore silently that he wasn't interested in watching Kaiba.

But his mind immediately admonished as the image of Kaiba swimming popped into his head. A picture of Kaiba, wet, dripping...

"Mutt."

Jounouchi opened his eyes and blinked.

Kaiba appeared to be done with swimming, and was currently moving through the water towards the pool ledge. As much as Jounouchi was relieved about it, the fact that Kaiba was still half-naked was still as appealing as it was daunting.

"Morning, Kaiba." Jounouchi inwardly hoped that Kaiba would not notice his embarrassment.

"Pass me the towel." Kaiba ordered, nearing the pool ledge.

Jounouchi promptly reached for one of the towels sitting on a table. He cautiously edged towards the pool and reached out his hand with the towel. An enlivening shiver ran down his back when the cold tips of Kaiba's fingers brushed against his hand-

And that was when Kaiba's hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the water.

What was Kaiba doing?! Jounouchi shut his eyes instinctively as he plunged headfirst into the pool. Icy cold water greeted his skin and an irrepressible shudder ran through him. How could Kaiba stand that cold?

Nevertheless, the cold water proved to be a great remedy for handovers, killing Jounouchi's crushing headache instantly, but at the same time, knocking the breath out of him.

For a split second, the disoriented blonde was frozen in time and in the water, with only the sting of the ice water against his skin to remind him of his situation. He opened his eyes. Sun was shinning through the water, small waves forming on the water surface. Kaiba was underwater with him, his hands still gripped around Jounouchi's wrist. The sun shinning through the shimmering water made Kaiba's hair appeared blonde for a second and brown the next. Kaiba was staring at him with a mischievous smile creeping up the corner of his mouth.

Was this a joke or a trick to get him wet? Slight annoyance kicked in and Jounouchi struggled to break free of Kaiba's grasp. But his struggle was practically hopeless as he sunk further down the pool. Damn, he knew how to swim so why was he sinking? Where were his feet? His toes finally touched the floor of the pool and he kicked upwards. He needed air.

His captor did not pull him back into the water as he broke free of the water face for air. Then again, neither did Kaiba let go of his wrist.

He took a deep breathe. He had to get out of the water. The cotton robe around him was already disrobing and dancing around him in the water. He had to get out before the robe flown away, he was not wearing any thing beneath and – he was once again wrenched back into the water by the wrist.

The cold water gushed over his head again. The sudden movement and his struggling generated bubbles all around him. He couldn't see Kaiba, but Kaiba had to be near since his wrist was still held by Kaiba.

Jounouchi whirled about in the water till he faced Kaiba, who was behind the bubbles. The bubbles would clear and then he would be able to see Kaiba, and maybe glare the man into letting go of him.

Illuminated by the sunlight, the bubbles soon faded away. Jounouchi blinked and almost released his lungful of air. Kaiba was right in front of him, their faces hairs apart.

Kaiba! What the hell was he doing so near? Reflexively, Jounouchi started to push Kaiba away, like he had done at the wedding, but Kaiba was one step too fast for him. The CEO's free hand reached behind the bewildered veterinarian. A hand cupped behind Jounouchi's neck and he was pulled forward.

Another electrifying tremble ran down Jounouchi's back as their lips touched - Warm against the cold water around them.

Bizarrely, a literary work which they had studied back in high school popped into Jounouchi's head out of nowhere.

"O, then, dear saint..."

It was a part of a Shakespeare story which the literature teacher had asked Kaiba to read out aloud. Jounouchi recalled that Kaiba had been visibly snubbed at having to perform such a feat before the whole class. But then the CEO had also astonished the teacher next by delivering the words with utmost passion and fervor.

And now Kaiba's voice was ringing silently in his head: "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do..."

The sane part of his mind interrupted the recital and screamed for Jounouchi to push Kaiba away.

But the same part was also forcefully infected with insanity when Kaiba pressed his lips on to his more insistently, tongue trying to break through his lips.

Jounouchi knew his defenses were crumbling like dust. He had no resistance against this.

He wanted it.

He closed his eye. Kaiba's tongue had long invaded his mouth and was now sucking dominatingly on his own tongue.

He hesitated for a last moment, and then kissed Kaiba back, licking Kaiba's tongue fervently as cold water flowed into both their mouths. His skilled tongue swept into Kaiba's warm mouth with compassionate abandon. Maybe it was love, or perhaps it was just plain lust. He didn't care. It didn't matter for now. Submitting to his own hunger towards Kaiba's kiss was the chief thing. Kaiba's hands were now wrapped around him and he could feel himself sinking further, with Kaiba pressing down on him.

Their mouths still exploring each other, their hands started wandering. Kaiba's back was silken skin, Jounouchi's smooth cotton which was floating away with the second. Their chest touched each other for a second in their frolics and Jounouchi felt a shiver down his back. The warmth radiating off Kaiba's body was a great comfort in the cold water. Jounouchi impulsively pulled the taller man closer to him. Air bubbles continued to rise all around them as they kissed feverishly.

It was definitely nothing like their last kiss. That kiss had been gentle, warm, sweet... This kiss was domineering; forceful, passive...He could feel Kaiba's impatience as the man pressed their lips intensely together. He could feel how much Kaiba wanted him.

Did he want Kaiba too? Jounouchi wasn't sure. But he was certain of one thing as he kissed Kaiba back fiercely; he wanted the kiss to go on forever right then.

It seemed an eternity passed before Kaiba finally pulled away and broke for air. A moment passed before Jounouchi felt himself being pulled out off the water at the shoulder by strong arms. Pure fresh air greeted him and he inhaled a lungful thankfully.

When common sense and oxygen finally knocked back into his brain, Jounouchi was stunned by what he had just done. Did he just kiss Seto Kaiba happily and passionately?!

"Get out of the water, you'll catch a cold."

Jounouchi raised his head to see Kaiba already out of the pool and drying himself with a thick towel before wrapping it around his waist. Their previous little kissing madness seemed to be just a figment of Jounouchi's imagination.

Frowning slightly, Jounouchi proceeded to grab his cotton robe, which had slipped off some time during their intimacy and was now lying at the bottom of the pool. He wrapped the water-clogged robe around him tightly and paddled to the edge of the pool. The morning breeze shocked him as it came in contact with wet skin. Kaiba tossed a dry towel to him just as he stumbled onto land.

"Thanks." He managed softly and went on to dry himself. Kaiba was looking at him, he knew. He avoided the man's gaze and stared off away at the pool.

"You liked that?" Kaiba's voice was soft, almost inaudible, as he stepped up closer to Jounouchi.

"The kiss?"

"No, the drowning, fool." Kaiba scowled and stepped away, drying his brown hair with another towel, "Of course I meant the kiss."

Jounouchi blinked. Kaiba didn't seem a single bit embarrassed about kissing with him. On the contrary, he was embarrassed, so much he didn't even know how to act in front of Kaiba. But if Kaiba was going to be cool about the whole thing, Jounouchi decided he could be better.

He pondered for an answer to Kaiba's prior question. The kiss had actually been good. One of the best he had for a while, but he was not about to admit it before him. "I had better ones."

Kaiba looked pretty pissed off. The man had a hell of an ego.

While Kaiba fumed silently, Jounouchi couldn't help but allow his eyes to linger on Kaiba for another moment. Kaiba looked even sexier on land, wrapped loosely in a towel and dripping. Water droplets rolled down his pale but nevertheless built body. Jounouchi turned away. It felt strange to be looking at another man.

Jounouchi was honestly surprised when the man suddenly smirked. "With men?"

That was not what he had expected. Jounouchi felt his face flushing as he turned back and barked "Of course not. I'm not gay!"

"But you just kissed me, and that was not the first time you did it." Kaiba pressed on. "And you might want to kiss Honda too."

Jounouchi blinked at the mention of his buddy, and then fury kicked in, "Keep Honda out of this! And- how did you know about Honda being....being..."

"In love with you?" Kaiba leered, "I have my connections, plus you blurted it out yesterday when you were drunk."

Jounouchi choked in unhidden horror.

"Now answer my question." Kaiba frowned, "Did you like it or not?"

"Like what?" Mokuba popped a head from the house. "Morning, brother. Jou! Morning!"

Temporarily saved by Mokuba. Jounouchi sighed in relief, before the utter horror struck him. How much had Mokuba heard?

"Did Jounouchi like what or not?" Mokuba repeated, looking at the dripping men innocently.

Jounouchi stole a look at Kaiba nervously. Kaiba didn't seem very much calmer than he was, his eyes seemingly flustered.

"Did I interrupt something? I just got back, was looking around for people and heard brother saying something about liking what or not..." Mokuba frowned at the two men.

"Of course not, Mokie. Jounouchi didn't seem to particularly enjoy a morning swim. That's all." Jounouchi bit down on his lips as he watched Kaiba lie through clenched teeth. Kaiba didn't seem to enjoy lying to his little brother any more than he liked the current situation.

Mokuba laughed heartily.

"Seems you got introduced to his tolerance swim every morning, Jou. Brother takes a cold swim in the unheated pool every morning to build up his tolerance." Mokuba explained, grinning.

Jounouchi tried to squeeze a smile on to his face and succeeded weakly. Fortunately, Mokuba did not seem to notice.

Then, Seth and Jono struck his mind.

"Seth and Jono, where are they?"

"In one of the guestrooms." Kaiba answered coldly.

"Didn't I ask you to drive me home yesterday, Mokuba?" Jounouchi hissed as he pulled the younger Kaiba to him.

"Sorry, Jou. I had to leave with my date, you know..." Mokuba gave an apologetic smile, "So I had brother to pick up Seth and Jono and drive you home. But I guessed as much that he drove you here when I saw your car in front of our house. Don't get all so worked up, you can have breakfast in our house."

Before Jounouchi could respond to that, a pair of heads popped out of the same French door Mokuba came out from. The two pairs of eyes widened in awe as they started talking inconsequently.

"Oh WOW!"

"A real swimming-"

"pool in the garden! Just like-"

"Kisara said!"

The two puppies bounced over to Jounouchi and pleaded with big sparkling eyes. "Can we stay and play, maybe swim? If Uncle Mokuba and Kisara's Daddy allow us to?"

Jounouchi did not want to linger a breath more in the house.

"Yeah, Jou, surely the kids would like to stay and play. I'm picking up Kisara in a while. Stay for breakfast or even lunch. Then Kisara and the twins can play in the pool or something." Mokuba quipped.

Jounouchi stole another glance at Kaiba. The brunette had already wrapped a dry robe around himself and was currently smirking wryly, awaiting his response.

"Pleeeasssssse!" Seth and Jono begged as they tugged at their daddy's wet robe.

"We'll stay for breakfast." Jounouchi said finally. "And decide the rest later."

Whoops of delight were heard as the twins ran off towards the pool and started splashing each other with the water, ignoring the cold.

"Good!" Mokuba grinned impishly at him before heading back into the house. "I'll see you around at breakfast. And you better change out of those before you catch a cold."

Jounouchi glanced down at his wet robe. He was forming a mini swimming pool where he was standing. A cool spring breeze swept by and he shuddered.

And then the cold was suddenly replaced by warmth when Kaiba wrapped a large warm fluffy white towel around his shoulders.

"Get into the house, mutt. I'll get you warm clothes." Kaiba mumbled into his ear.

Jounouchi nodded numbly as Kaiba pushed him through the door. Seth and Jono's laughter could still be heard as he walked through the living room and climbed the steps. He had a feeling that they might be staying beyond breakfast.

* * *

  
"Theth, can't I really really really really really really really really have your Blue Eyeth underwear?" Kisara begged for the umpteenth time as they strolled through one of the grand halls of the Kaiba mansion. It was late morning and the three good friends had just finished swimming and were now exploring the huge Kaiba mansion. Having only stayed in the mansion for a few weeks, Kisara herself had also not explored the entire house yet. It was big and exploring it alone was not fun at all, besides some part of the house WAS creepy.

"No." A very gauche Seth shook his head warily for the millionth time, "I can't let you have my ...underwear, Kisara."

The word 'underwear' was almost inaudible as Seth's face flushed red.

"But why?" Kisara insisted glumly. "You have tho many!"

"Because I just can't." Seth maintained. If he blushed anymore, all the blood in his body would be in his head.

"You can have my Red Eyes underwear-" Jono offered.

"Don't keep saying 'underwear' Jono." Seth mumbled.

"Underwear." Jono teased and turned to Kisara, "You can have my Red Eyes underwear, Kisara. Daddy bought loads of them for us. I have a Red Eyes shirt to go with a Red Eyes pants as well as Red Eyes underwear and a Red Eyes toy. Seth's got them too, but his are all Blue Eyes. "

"Thankth Jono, but I only want Blue Eyeth. You're tho lucky. Daddy only buyth Black Magician Girl underwear and thtuff for me, except he got me a few Blue Eyeth toyth. They don't thell Blue Eyeth underwear for girlth." Kisara grumbled. "Do they think that only boyth like Blue Eyeth?"

Seth bit his lips and looked away very uncomfortably, "Can we not talk about 'underwear' anymore, please?"

Jono grinned, "Seth is very SENSTIVE about his underwear, ever since a girl at the therapy center offered to help him wash them after they got married."

"Jono!" A mortified Seth screamed.

"Wow." Kisara marveled, "I would only do that for a boy that I like."

"That's what the girl said too." Jono beamed, "And then another boy offered to wash Seth's underwear after they got married too. But the girl said he was a boy and boys don't wash other boy's underwear and they don't get married-"

"Jono, please stop talking about my 'underwear'?" A humiliated Seth begged.

"I think ith okay, ath long as they like each other." Kisara continued.

"I think so too." Jono nodded, "And I'm sure Seth wouldn't mind you wash his Blue Eyes underwear-"

"Jono, I warned you!" Seth's face turned an extreme unhealthy shade of red before the little boy proceeded to pounce on his brother and throttle him. His small fingers wrapped around his brother's neck in a tight lock.

"Ack...cough...I'm sorry, stop!" Jono sputtered.

"Don't say that again, or I'll tell daddy you failed our first spelling test!" Seth threatened before releasing his brother's neck and glared, hard.

Jono gasped in horror, "I'll be good."

"You better!" Seth growled while Kisara stifled a snicker at the sight of the two brothers quarreling.

The trio then turned their attention back to their surroundings. They had come to a part of the mansion where the designs looked absolutely different from where they had come from.

"Now just where are we?" Seth finally spoke after moments of silence as the three kids stared in awe.

They were all silent as they glanced down a long dark corridor before them. Shivers ran down their necks involuntarily

"I think we are in the Eatht Wing." Kisara notified.

"The one your Uncle Mokuba claimed is haunted by your grandfather?" Seth perked his brows and stared down the corridor. He wasn't really scared of ghosts, but Uncle Mokuba had mentioned earlier during breakfast that Kisara's grandfather was a very scary man whom could shut a crying child up and make the strongest soldier weep just by one glare. And that was scary.

Kisara nodded, "I think so."

"Are we going in?" Jono bit his lips, wishing desperately that Kisara would say no. He wasn't eager on seeing Kisara's grandfather or any of his dead friends.

"Of courthe." Kisara nodded defiantly. While having her second breakfast earlier the morning, Uncle Mokuba had strictly forbidden them to explore the East Wing of the mansion, but like what Harpy had said, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Uncle Mokuba was now taking a nap, they could sneak in easily. Besides Daddy was walking somewhere behind them and he wasn't objecting. "Thith is our chance to prove to Uncle Mokuba that we are not afraid."

"Er...okay." Jono replied, but his face fell as Kisara and Seth approached the hallway boldly.

The trio wandered down the endless hallways which twisted and every now and then out of the blue, with Seth marking and memorizing their way in.

After the hundredth turn and the thousandth row of corridors, which were all packed with dusty cobwebs, Seth, Jono and Kisara weren't smiling or finding it fun anymore as they stood before a three-way doorway, pondering which direction to go.

Going back was out of the question, since it would indicate that there were afraid and that was a big no NO. But all three corridors before them appeared cold and vacant and seemed to spiral into an endless hallway of darkness. It was way beyond creepy. A cold wind breezed past them and the three shuddered and cuddled together for warmth and assurance, their eyes darting around worriedly.

"So em, which way should we go?" Seth asked quietly, the first to break away from the group.

"Er...should we jutht turn back?" Kisara finally pleaded as she gave a soft screech and frantically brushed off a cobweb that had fallen trapped onto her hair, again. "Thpiderth...I hate thpiderth! Why can't they jutht go away?"

"It's just spider webs." Jono gave his best frown and proceeded to help his best friend pull the dusty webs off her hair. He wasn't going to say he wanted to leave and show that he was scared! "We just came in. Besides, you were the one who suggested coming into explore."

"But what if ghostth or big huge thpiderth come out?" Little Kisara pleaded.

A harmless little spider poked its head out of a dusty, old grandfather's clock. Kisara promptly let out a scream which was fit to wake the dead –

And sent Jono and Seth into screaming mode also.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Ahhhhhh ahhhh ahhh...what what WHAT are we screaming for??" Seth managed to choke in between screams.

"Thpider! There ith a thpider on the clock behind you!" Kisara screeched and hid behind Jono while waving her arms about desperately to prevent the spider from pouncing onto her. "Don't let it come near my hair!"

Jono stopped his hysteria screaming, turned and stared in bewilderment at the spider behind Seth's shoulder, "A spider? That's it?"

"Hey, you were thcreaming too." Kisara bit her lips and protested, "And don't let that thpider come near me!"

Jono folded his arms conceitedly, "I wasn't afraid, I screamed only because you screamed."

"You screamed because you thought there was a ghost." Seth objected and swept the spider away.

"I'm not afraid!" Jono proclaimed.

"Ha, and who was screaming just now?" Seth insisted.

"You were screaming too! You are scared of ghosts too!" Jono shot back.

"I am not scared of ghosts!"

"Yes you are!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"I'm not afraid of ghost because there are no such things as ghosts!" Seth yelled.

"Yeah, and you were begging me to check under your bed for monsters yesterday night," Jono shot back.

"Monsters are different from ghosts." Seth reasoned. "And you are still afraid."

Unable to make a come-back, Jono bit his lips and then stuttered, "Look, there's a spider under there!"

Kisara gave a shriek and jumped behind Jono, "Under where?"

Seth promptly gasped in unhidden embarrassment while Jono started laughing so hard he almost cried.

"Jono! I'm going to tell Daddy you failed your spelling test!" Seth cried.

"But I didn't say it! Kisara did!" Jono stop laughing immediately. If Daddy knew that he failed his first spelling test....Daddy would get so upset, especially after staying up a night to help him with it.

"I didn't mean to thay it!" Kisara glared at Jono.

"Fine! Fine! I promise I won't say underwe- that word anymore, just don't tell Daddy please, Seth!" Jono begged but his twin had already stormed off into one of the hallways.

While Seth fumed silently in front, Jono and Kisara followed quietly behind.

"Theth is tho mad at you." Kisara remarked.

Jono lowered his head, "I guess I over did it a bit. He really hates it when I make fun of him, especially on his ...you-know-what."

Kisara nodded and the two walked behind in silence.

"Theth, can you don't walk so front?" Kisara finally asked after three more turns.

"Why?" Seth replied defiantly, still mad at Kisara and Jono ganging up together to make fun of him. "You have Jono there with you."

"Becauthe you appear braver." Kisara admitted and scampered over to the elder of the twins, leaving a gapping Jono behind.

Seth blushed as Kisara wrapped a hand around his arm. He glanced at his little brother who looked really snubbed. Seth wondered if his brother was angry. He stood there momentarily observing his younger brother gawk back at him while Kisara stared at the floor.

"Whatever." Jono finally said and pushed past Kisara and Seth to walk in front. Seth bit his lips. Jono was unhappy, he knew, even if his brother never really showed it.

"I've been hearing footthtepth and wood creaking behind uth." Kisara whimpered and huddled over to Seth.

"That's just Daddy and your daddy walking some where behind us." Seth reasoned calmly. "If anything happens, they will come and help us."

"I guethth tho..."

"Don't worry. I don't think ghosts really exist." Seth assured as he put an arm comfortingly around Kisara's shoulders.

Kisara smiled back.

"Guys, I think I hear a sound." Jono froze in his tracks, causing Seth and Kisara to bump into him.

"Are we pretending to be the three stooges?" Seth frowned.

"Listen." Jono hissed.

The three cocked their ears and stood still. Sure enough, there were sounds of approaching footsteps at the end of the hallway. The three squinted in the gloominess of the corridor. A curtain at the far end of the hallway flapped and a shadowy figure seemed to gust pass it.

"I thwear it'th a ghotht" Kisara whimpered and tightened her grip on Jono.

"Goat?" Jono raised a brow and looked down at Kisara's fingers which were digging into him. When did Kisara start holding him again? Nonetheless, he was happy to protect Kisara, the past occurrence whereby Kisara dumped him was instantly forgotten – she was a girl after all and girls were to be protected, but honestly her fingernails were killing him. The little boy made a quick mental note to himself to remind his friend to chew her fingernails.

Kisara made a face and replied in a hush whisper. "Dark Necrophia"

"What's that?" The name didn't sound very intimating, like Thousand Eyes Sacrifice. Now THAT was a scary name.

"Doesn't your dad tell you Duel Monsterth thtorieth?"

Jono pouted, fairly offended, "He doesn't tell scary stories."

"A Duel Monster. Dark Necrophia" Kisara explained quickly.

"Duck neck called fear?"

"Dark Necrophia." Seth corrected in a hush whisper. "She carries a baby in her arms."

"Is it headless?"

"No, the only thing as headlethth ath you is the Headlethth Knight." Kisara gasped as she huddled even closer to Jono and buried her fingernails deeper into the boy. Jono grimaced but bit his lips silently. The creature beyond the corridors seemed to be searching for them and he had no intention to make any noises and draw attention.

A dark shadow fell over them abruptly.

Kisara froze in terror for a moment before raising her head, her eyes widening as she drew in the sight.

"HEAD...HEADLETHTHTHTH...KNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHTTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Kisara screamed and scampered off the other direction, with Jono scrambling after her even though he had not seen anything. He had been too scared to look up at all.

Seth stood alone before the shadow.

* * *

  
"KNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Jounouchi felt his clothes turning wet from his cold sweat. That was Kisara screaming, and she sounded utterly terrified. Absently, he dug his nails into an arm... Kaiba's arm...

"Do you mind?" Kaiba asked, seemingly both amused and irritated.

"Sorry." Jounouchi removed his hands quickly. Now was not the time to annoy his ex-archenemy. If Kaiba ditched him right now, Jounouchi doubted he could survive leaving the mansion alone without suffering at least one heart attack from whatever horrors in the house. "Was that Kisara?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you worried?" Jounouchi frowned.

"About what?" Kaiba smirked, "Ghosts? There are no such things as ghosts, mutt. Or do you still believe in them?"

Jounouchi felt anger rising, "Who knows? Your father's ghost may be wandering around here trying to take revenge."

If Kaiba was insulted, he didn't show it.

"It's just Mokuba scaring them." Kaiba returned flatly.

"Mokuba is taking a nap." Jounouchi pointed out, "At least he said he was going to."

"There are no ghosts in my house, mutt." Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"Stop calling me mutt, Kaiba." Jounouchi scowled. It was bad enough that he had to stay for breakfast and that now he had to be walking around Kaiba's mansion and suffer through being insulted. And then there was still the pending matter of–

The kiss-es.

Kaiba had kissed him, twice. And he had kissed him back, both times. And both times it had been hell of kisses- the best he had ever experienced.

Damn, he had to stop thinking about it. He had to find some distraction. Anything to get his mind off the kisses.

"So, why is this place not as clean and tidy as the other parts?" He finally asked.

Kaiba did not seem too happy with the question.

"Gozaburo used to make here the main wing of the mansion. We lived in this wing before he died. After he died, Mokuba and I decided to shift to the other wing which is nearer to the kitchen, pool and living room."

"Oh." Jounouchi mumbled. This was the first time Kaiba spoke of his adoptive father.

"A lot of his things are still around here because we never decided what to do with them. There is also an old library down the hall. We passed by Mokie's and my old bedroom along the last corridor just now."

"So, what's in this room, then?" Jounouchi asked quietly, motioning to an old dusty wooden door along the corridor

Kaiba reached over and pushed on the door gently. The old door creaked and opened unwillingly.

Jounouchi hesitated as Kaiba held the door opened and motioned for him to enter the room first.

Jounouchi bit down on his lips. Mustering all the courage he could, he stepped into the room as bravely as he could.

A dry woody smell greeted him.

The room was illuminated by light flowing in through French windows along a wall. Jounouchi could see dust floating in the sunlight in the room. In the center of the room stood a cloaked, but apparent grand piano.

Jounouchi stepped forward with Kaiba trailing silently behind him. The old wooden planks creaked noisily with every step.

His eyes scanned over the room, lingering on all the music instruments that lay in the aged room. A cello sat lonely in a corner of the room near the windows. A few music score stands stood in another corner. At the back of the room, was a large tall showcase with flutes, trumpets, violins and other orchestral instruments in it. Two walls of the room were fitted with wall length shelves, which were in turn filled with score books and smaller music instruments.

"This is..." Jounouchi trailed off.

"A music room." Kaiba finished it for him.

Jounouchi's eyes widened. "Those are yours? You play them?"

"Gozaburo's." Kaiba corrected. "But I'm familiar with all of them."

"Wow." Jounouchi remarked as he moved to the grand piano in the centre of the room.

Kaiba stepped in line with him and pulled the grimy piano cover off to reveal an ebony-black grand piano.

"Whoa." Jounouchi couldn't hide his awe as he lifted the keyboard cover and skimmed his fingers over the keys. "You play this?"

"Used to. Do you?"

Jounouchi shook his head, sighing regretfully. "Shizuka and I wanted to learn it when we were kids, but our father thought it was a waste of money. After my parents divorced, my mother bought a piano for Shizuka and let her have lessons, but I never got to learn it."

Kaiba did not reply.

Jounouchi shrugged. "But it didn't really matter. Later Shizuka did teach me a little piano to impress girls when we were in university, but heck, who cares? Say what, play a song."

Kaiba frowned. "I haven't touched a piano in fifteen years."

Jounouchi pushed the taller man down onto the piano stool. "Hell, with your memory and skills, you'll remember how to play the piano all the way to your next life."

Jounouchi grinned as Kaiba hesitantly pressed his long fingers on the keyboard, plunking out a few notes first.

"The piano needs tuning." Kaiba grumbled.

"Doesn't matter. Just play." Jounouchi encouraged as he leaned against the grand piano, watching Kaiba's fingers fall on the keyboard again gracefully. For a moment, he couldn't help but marvel at those long delicate fingers. It was a shame that those fingers only got to touch the computer keyboard that didn't seem worthy of them.

Kaiba sighed in defeat and rested his hands on the piano in preparation.

The room was filled with soft, subtle music once Kaiba started on his piece. The song was "Evergreen", Jounouchi recognized. His father had an ear for this type of music – quiet, peaceful but with a melancholic sense of wistfulness, and often played it on the stereo at home. Moreover, this was a romantic piece that Shizuka had once tried to teach him.

Jounouchi's eyes fell on Kaiba's long, slender fingers again. They curved beautifully as they ran down the keyboard smoothly and quickly, but Jounouchi wasn't paying attention to them much, he was absently watching Kaiba's face- which was deep in concentration, playing from old memories; his eyes were intent on his fingers, and his lips were drawn in a serious yet gentle frown.

Jounouchi would have liked the song to go on forever but the music soon stopped as the song came to an end. And Jounouchi found himself still staring at Kaiba's face.

Blue eyes met brown eyes...

* * *

  
Seth stared up with wide eyes at the headless ghost in a dark cloak wielding a shield and sword towering above him.

The ghost was frozen in a similar manner, seemingly glaring down at him if it had a head.

It seemed minutes passed, before Seth finally mustered the courage to reach a hand out and touched the black silky material of the ghost.

His small shaking little hand touched soft cloth before it felt something fleshy below the cloth.

"Uncle... Mokuba?" He managed to stutter, truly hoping that it was him.

The ghost before him threw back a large black cloth and there a young man stood, grinning down at him.

Seth heaved a huge sigh of relieve. "I knew it had to be you, Uncle Mokuba."

"Like you knew!" Mokuba laughed. "You looked so scared I thought you were going to wet your pants."

"Was not!" Seth protested.

"Whatever. You should have seen your face, and those two!"

Seth pouted. "You shouldn't have scared us like that."

Mokuba merely chuckled in response.

Seth bit his lips, "We have to look for Jono and Kisara."

"I saw them running down the hallway." Mokuba informed and the two started down the corridor in silence-

When Seth suddenly turned and ran back to Mokuba, visibly petrified. "Do you hear that?! Some one is playing the piano..."

The old boards creaked as Seth and Mokuba stood in the dim hallway. Someone was playing the piano, somewhere in the house. Soft melancholy music floated down the hallway.

Rowdy footsteps approached and a petrified Kisara and Jono came dashing towards them from the far end of the hallway.

"GHOTHTTHTHTTTTT!!" Kisara was almost sobbing. She flung herself against her Uncle's legs and hugged them tightly for comfort.

"It must be someone in the house playing the piano." Seth declared, swallowing nervously, "There's no such thing as ghosts."

Absently, the elder of the twin reached his hand over to his younger, trembling brother and clasped his hand into his twin's hand.

"But we don't have a piano at home!" Kisara cried.

Mokuba reached down a hand and took his niece's hand into his, patting it. "Actually we do have a music room, Kisara. Now let's see who is playing the music."

The three kids gasped in horror but trailed quietly behind the adult.

Behind an old dusty door, the music ended.

Seth noticed that Kisara and Jono were staring at him expectantly. He sighed. After all, he was the one who said that ghosts did not exist. But, monsters, on the other hand...

Stomping firmly, he headed up the hallway towards the door, despite the fact that the hairs on the back of his neck were all standing up and his legs felt rubbery. He pushed the door lightly; grimly expecting something truly horrible would pounce on him and grab him into the Shadow Realms the moment he opened the door.

With a squeak, the door slid open slightly, and-

His daddy was staring at Kisara's daddy with the most affectionate look on his face.

Two heads popped in beside him and stared in awe.

"Wow." Jono finally mouthed. Kisara's eyes were opened so wide they could have rolled out.

Seth could have watched on, but he was interrupted by a tug on his shirt. He turned his attention back to Kisara's uncle, who was still standing behind the door, his entrance blocked by the three kids.

"So, who's inside?" Mokuba asked.

"Daddy." Seth answered quickly, "Daddy is inside with Kisara's daddy."

Mokuba raised a brow, "My brother was playing the piano? It's been a long time since he did so."

He proceeded to push pass the kids to enter the room.

Seth quickly intercepted the adult by stepping in before him.

"Uncle Mokuba, I need to go to the toilet urgently. Can you show me where it is?" Seth begged, trying his best to appear very innocent and urgent. He pulled Kisara and Jono away from the door, successfully closing it and blocking the sight from the adult. Uncle Bakura and Uncle Honda had taught him and Jono enough that there were times when they should not interrupt their daddy. And this was definitely one of those times that they should leave their daddy alone.

"Yeah, Uncle Mokuba, I need to go too!" Jono gazed up at Kisara's uncle with hopeful eyes, catching Seth's hint quickly.

"So do I!" Kisara nodded and proceeded to grasp the adult's hand and pull him away from the door.

"Alright." Mokuba sighed.

The three kids grinned to each other as they followed Kisara's uncle along the hallway.

In a hushed whisper, Jono grinned and reached over Seth's ear. "I think Daddy likes Kisara's Daddy. Do you think they will get married? Then Kisara's daddy will be our new mommy!"

"My dad will probably wash your daddy's underwear." Kisara piped in, breaking into a wide smile.

Seth shrugged, but a hopeful smile was already on his lips. If Kisara's daddy was going to be his new mommy, he didn't think he would mind.

* * *

  
Brown eyes.

A little blonde hair was blocking them, but he could still see himself in it, see his reflection in Jounouchi's eyes.

Why hadn't he noticed them in the past? Those deep, brown orbs that seemed to reflect every thought and emotion of the puppy...

Right then, those eyes spoke of admiration, but when Kaiba looked deeper, they looked perplexed, unsure, worried.

About what? Kaiba wondered briefly. The kids? It seemed likely. But there were more in the eyes. Pain and uncertain passion.

Kaiba closed his eyes and broke off the eye contact. He knew, deep down though he refused to admit it, what Jounouchi was troubled with- it was him. And as much as he loved to make fun of Jounouchi and anger him, the uncertainty and confusion in the puppy's eyes was something he did not want to see.

When he once again opened his eye, Jounouchi had rested his sight on the keyboard.

"That was great! You could be a musician!"

Kaiba scowled, "Crazy mutt."

"I love that song." Jounouchi went on. "Shizuka tried to teach me long ago but I only got the right hand right."

"It's your turn to perform." Kaiba informed though he made no attempt to move from the piano bench.

"Don't be crazy Kaiba." Jounouchi protested. "I can't play."

"You said you got the right hand right."

"Yeah, but that was like when I was back in university, almost 10 years ago!"

"Dumb mutt."

"Stop calling me a mutt. Fine, I'll play but you start first, I'll watch you play first then I'll play the right hand."

Kaiba did not respond but pressed down on the piano keyboard once again while Jounouchi watched on.

After one perfect round of the song, Kaiba deemed Jounouchi ready for the right hand and moved his right hand away.

Jounouchi plopped down on the edge of the piano bench beside him enthusiastically and started to play the duet with his right hand.

Kaiba took a deep breath as Jounouchi sat down beside him. The mutt had not seemed to realize it but they were sitting so very close to each other on the small bench, tightly packed together. He could feel Jounouchi's body heat emitting onto his own cool skin. Then there were Jounouchi's clothes and shower cream that smelled familiarly like him-starch and cinnamon, plus a tint of vanilla on Jounouchi's clothes that he knew could never be removed.

Kaiba reached out his right hand and placed it back onto the keyboard, starting on a harmony. As his fingers danced skilfully upon the stretch of keys, his hand brushed by Jounouchi's every now and then as they clashed over the keyboard. Nevertheless, Jounouchi was too concentrated in his own playing; that he either not cared or did not realized that Kaiba was doing it purposely.

The music went on ceaselessly as Kaiba replayed the bass tune repeatedly. This was a timeless moment he didn't want to end. He could sit there forever, with Jounouchi beside him, playing the piano together in the dusty old room with only the sunlight through the window to lighten it and just breathing in the light scent of starch and cinnamon mingled together with vanilla.

But just at this perfect moment, Jounouchi hit a wrong key and the music stopped abruptly.

There was a short pause. Kaiba looked up to see Jounouchi staring at him in shock, as if he had just only realized that the both of them were sitting so close together.

Don't move away, Kaiba's heart wished. But the link was broken, and Jounouchi had stood up, stepped away and was now staring at him as if he had just seen an alien.

"Let's go back." Jounouchi said hastily.

Kaiba frowned, a repressed fury washing over him suddenly and furiously.

"Not before you answer my question." He shot back.

"What question?"

"The kiss. Did you like it?" Kaiba demanded.

Jounouchi seemed to have forgotten about it. After several moments, he finally stuttered, "It doesn't matter whether or not I like it."

Kaiba felt a stab of loneliness and a piercing sense of wretchedness. Was it rejection? He managed quietly, "It matters."

* * *

  
"It matters." Kaiba whispered.

Was that sadness in Kaiba's eyes? Jounouchi felt a wave of guilt as he stared at the taller man, who was currently still sitting at the piano which they had been both so contentedly playing music just a minute ago. He could have laughed out right then if they were in another situation. Play piano with Kaiba. Who could have thought of this happening ten years ago?

"I just want an answer." Kaiba continued.

Truth or white lie?

Kaiba was still gazing at him, waiting for an answer. It seemed for a moment to Jounouchi that they were back in Kaiba's car after Kaiba had brought him to the medical clinic, and Kaiba was staring at him expectantly with those deep blue eyes again.

"I like the kiss."

Draw the line at this or things will spiral into meaningless troubles.

"But that doesn't mean I like you." Jounouchi finished.

In the end, the truth was better left alone for now.

He continued glaring at Kaiba, noting that the brunette appeared rather taken back at his answer.

"How about a truce?" Kaiba finally spoke, his voice still firm but obviously upset, "I don't think you are quite honest with yourself, Jounouchi."

Did Kaiba just say his name again?

"Truce?" Jounouchi repeated, after the initial shock wore off.

Kaiba nodded patiently, "I'll give you one week to think about it."

"Think about what?" Jounouchi was truthfully confused.

"Whether you want to sleep with me." Kaiba answered flatly.

Jounouchi choked in shock as all the blood gushed to his face. "Sleep with you-? Why would I-? We've already reached that stage?"

Kaiba appeared somewhat annoyed but yet patient at the same time. "We've kissed, twice already. And it's obvious you are attracted to me, or at least, my physique." He informed as if teaching a school boy.

"I –" Jounouchi started to protest as blood flushed up his head. Kaiba would be mad if he believed that he wanted to sleep with him!

"One week."

"Two weeks!" Jounouchi's mouth shot back before he realized it. He cupped his mouth in shock.

Kaiba gave a satisfied smirk, "My puppy bargaining for some time? Alright, since it's quite an important question."

This time, Jounouchi shut his mouth, fearing that he would say anymore things that might lead him into anymore trouble. He watched as Kaiba stood up and push past him towards the door.

* * *

  
"Bye bye, Kisara!" Jounouchi winced as Seth and Jono chorused from behind as they waved and made hand prints over the car windows. He debated on making them clean the windows, but decided that his twins were having too good a time to punish them.

Making one last check that Seth and Jono were both belted up behind, he waved goodbye to Mokuba and Kisara, noting that Kaiba was elsewhere still answering a phone that had come when they were walking to the driveway. Not that it mattered though, having Kaiba around was uncomfortable, especially after knowing that Kaiba wanted to sleep with him.

He shuddered involuntarily, pulled out of Kaiba residence and headed for the vet. There was still work to do. The vet was opened twenty four-seven except on public holidays and on pre-notified announcements. He was already running late, though Shizuka was there and he had no pre-booked patients until evening.

As the car left the estate for the rich and affluent, Jounouchi's mind went to Kaiba's truce and words.

A truce. Two weeks time. And then he would have to come up with an answer that would inevitably affect the both of them.

Sleep with Kaiba? Was Kaiba sane to even think that he would agree to it? And was he himself even sane to actually agree to having a truce? What had made him even agreed to the truce? Accepting the truce meant that he was giving the thought of sleeping with Kaiba a consideration. To sleep with a guy, worse, to sleep with Kaiba. And what was Kaiba thinking, to want to sleep with him, simply because of two kisses? Damn, he should never have kissed Kaiba, never agreed to the truce at all. To think that instead of turning down the truce right away, he even bargained another week for himself!

Yet a stinging sense of desire was making itself known somewhere deep down in him. Was it curiosity? How the hell did homosexual relationships work out any way? Was he now considered homosexual just because he kissed Kaiba? Jounouchi didn't want to think about that.

Perhaps it was lust? Kaiba was undeniably hot with one hell of a body. Or maybe... he did like Kaiba, after all, he did kiss Kaiba back every time... and he did find Kaiba attractive...

He blinked. What was he thinking? Shoving the thought to the deepest hides of his mind, he reached over and flicked on the radio.

Soft melancholy music poured through the speakers. Evergreen, Jounouchi instantly recognized.

Slow, delicate and sad. The beautiful lyrics entwined with the singer's soft faraway voice.

Jounouchi took in a deep breathe and hoped that the two weeks would pass the slowest it could.

To be continued...

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1) Readers would have noticed that for this fanfic, we sometimes refer to the anime and sometimes to the Manga. For non-Manga readers, we will try to add notes during our ranting to keep you in comprehension.

2) In the Manga, Jounouchi and Yugi stayed overnight at Kaiba's mansion on the night before the Yugi gang played Death-T. Reference: Book 4 Game 26/27.

3) If anyone feels that this is too fluffy and lime for PG-13, just drop us a note and we'll change it to R.

4) Thank you to all the reviewers and supporters! Your support is greatly appreciated. TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu, Kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar, Yami Sango, Elusia, Fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha, Lady Guana, Kokoro, asa-chan, Dragon's lair, Meesha the Horrible, Kai's girl-44, Natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina and many more who has yet to leave a name.

p.s: Our apologies to anyone if we accidentally spelt your name wrongly. drop a note and we'll change it asap.


	10. Chapter 8: Dragon Rescue

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions  
  
_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 8**  


* * *

  
"And so children, we shall rest here for forty-five minutes. You can eat, drink at the tables and play on the jungle gym net. But you are NOT allowed to leave this area! The washrooms are just over there so there is no reason for you to be out of sight!"

'Yes, Ms Yamato!' The students from class Tiger and class Tortoise yelled and broke off into their own groups and cliques.

One blonde, standing beside the female teacher, sighed in relief. At least for forty-five minutes, he wouldn't have to worry about the bunch of forty Tasmanian Devils terrorizing the tourists, falling into a tiger cage or some sort. These forty-five minutes, Ms Yamato had previously told him that he could take a break and leave the kids to her and the other teachers.

Nevertheless, he still responsibly took one more glance over the play gym and counted all the children, making sure that all of them were accounted for. He then searched for his twins, and found them sitting at a picnic table eating burgers with Kisara, who was currently talking to –

Her daddy, Kaiba.

Jounouchi grunted silently. Why did Jono and Seth have to be good friends with Kisara? This was something he would probably never figure out, considering that he and Kaiba had been at loggerheads the whole time while they were in the same school.

Jounouchi took a deep breath as he thought about the past one week since his truce with Kaiba. Kaiba had kept his end of the truce and stayed away from him, leaving him with a fairly peaceful week. They didn't even see each other every morning as Kaiba always arrived with Kisara only after he left. He had hoped that the following week could also be run peacefully without any of Kaiba's repartee or whatsoever...then two days ago, Seth and Jono announced that they had signed him up as a parent helper in their class fieldtrip to the zoo.

He had agreed readily.

That is, until they mentioned that Kisara had also signed her daddy up.

"Daddy!" Jono called him over to the table. Jounouchi strolled over most reluctantly and sat down beside Jono uncomfortably.

"Daddy, you rock! All my classmates say so!" Seth marveled, licking his grease-stained fingers.

"Yeah!" Kisara agreed, "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a veterinarian too!"

Jounouchi smiled. While touring the zoo with Seth and Jono's class previously, he had observed a sick black panther and pointed it out to the zookeepers. The zoo had him to doctor the poor animal, and the kids – seeing him inside the cage taming and doctoring the big cat, were all so awed and impressed they started worshiping him.

"It was sooooo cool! Daddy! The panther looked so fierce and you just grabbed her tail and jabbed the anesthetic into her! You were real cool!" Jono was looking at him with a brand-new respect.

"You're the best daddy, we love you so much!" Seth nodded agreeing.

Jounouchi could have died right there and then and be the happiest ghost in both reality and the underworld. He could throw the world away just to hear his little boys say those words again. Admittedly, there were times when Seth and Jono drove him infinitely mad, but yet there were also those precious little moments like now that moved his heart completely.

Ignoring Kaiba's stare and the twins' squirming, he ruffled their straw- golden hair affectionately.

"Daddy, are there any dragonth in the zoo?" Kisara interrupted his thoughts as the little girl looked up from her burger and asked.

"Dragons?" Kaiba appeared taken back. Jounouchi wondered if the other father had even come to a zoo before. Kaiba didn't seem like the type of people to enjoy zoo outings. Moreover, it seems unlikely that the rumored workaholic would take time off work to visit a tourist attraction.

"There are Komodo Dragons here; they are located just right beside there." Jounouchi notified. He had noticed the lizards' ground on their way here. "Maybe we can ask Miss Yamato to let us stop by there later."

"Are there any blue eyeth white colored oneth, daddy?" Kisara asked hopefully, obviously not familiar with the big lizard.

Kaiba frowned, "I don't think so, Kisara."

"Oh...okay." The blue-eyed girl was visibly disappointed.

Jounouchi smiled. He could understand the little girl's craze for dragons. Jono had been bugging him with dragons since ever since the little boy knew what a red eye was.

"Any red eyes black colored ones?" Jono piped optimistically.

"I think most of the Komodo Dragons have black eyes, though their colors are grayish black." Jounouchi answered recalling his university Komodo Dragon case study and wondering with a wee sense of apprehension at what the kids were thinking.

"Aw...that' so not fun." Jono bit his lips, "Never mind."

The three kids went on to gobble down their burgers before rushing off to the play the jungle gym net which was formed by thick red nylon ropes tied cress-crossed to each other. The web made a completely cool climbing obstacle course as well as a super bouncy trampoline.

Jounouchi watched thoughtfully as the kids bounced jubilantly on the net.

It was hard to believe how fast the years had gone by. It felt like just moments ago, that Seth and Jono had arrived at his house on a , wrapped in white cotton cloth, smelling of dribble and milk...and how chaotic the situation had been after their mother left them with him. He had to learn from scratch how to carry them, feed them, bath them, change their diapers, pamper them when they cry, and juggle his life between university and the kids. And having two of them inevitably meant double the work, he had to do everything twice and buy everything in twos, though sometimes he would bath them three times in all because he would unintentionally bath one of them twice before realizing his mistake. It took some time before he learnt how to differentiate the both of them.

And now, Seth and Jono were already in school, making friends, learning their ABCs, doing their Math, and soon they would be looking at girls too. They would learn to argue with him that they wanted more pocket money or a later curfew. But well, he could deal with that later.

"Your arm is bleeding, mutt." Kaiba's voice pulled him back into grim reality.

Jounouchi glanced down to see a slightly bleeding scratch across his arm. He had forgotten about it. The scratch had come from the panther. She had been in a reasonably nasty mood and had swept a claw at him and her keeper once or twice, and he had not managed to step away fast enough during one of the attacks. Fortunately, the wound was just a light graze.

"Oh." He mumbled and proceeded to wipe the blood away with his shirt. Kaiba caught his arm before he could.

"Idiot. It'll get infected if you don't take proper care of it."

"Yeah right, and who's the doctor here?" Jounouchi frowned. Being called an idiot was worst than being called a mutt. Nonetheless, he chose to remain silent at the insult, instead letting Kaiba take his arm and rinse it with a bottle of water.

"I don't need my puppy looking like he just lost a cat fight." Kaiba leered.

Jounouchi withdrew his arm, annoyed, "I am NOT your puppy. According to our truce, you are not supposed to say such suggestive and insolent things"

"The truce," Kaiba smirked, "does not include language. I only promised not to touch or attempt anything which will lead to intimacy."

"Your language suggests intimacy!" Jounouchi shot back.

"I hadn't realized language turns you on just as much." Kaiba raised a brow, "In this case, we may as well call off the truce so I can just sit beside you and kiss you."

Jounouchi paled in choked horror. But the horror was quickly replaced by a building anger.

The anger was caused by the uncertain emotions and unanswerable questions he was experiencing. Why was Kaiba doing this to him? That question had been bugging him for the past one week. Kaiba actually wanted to sleep with him! And he didn't even know what Kaiba's intentions were. It was completely likely and reasonable that Kaiba probably just wanted to make fun of him. He refused to imagine that Kaiba was really interested in him. That sounded too egoist.

Whichever the prospect, it made Jounouchi thoroughly uncomfortable. And he definitely didn't feel like asking Kaiba why Kaiba wanted to sleep with him. To ask meant that he cared, about how Kaiba felt about him and that was definitely out. Moreover, he wasn't sure of his own feelings either. He needed time to sort out his feelings and emotions. He didn't need Kaiba to mess around now, or worse, cancel the truce.

"Don't even think about it!" Jounouchi snapped. "The truce goes on."

Kaiba smirked, "Fine."

They sat together in silence. Kaiba was watching the children absently while Jounouchi found himself studying the taller man.

He would never understand Kaiba, or at least take years before he did. The man was simply too weird a guy to begin with-and a totally different species from him. He doubted that anyone would ever understand Seto Kaiba. Probably even Mokuba never understood his brother completely. Then, how was he to consider sleeping with a man he never even understood? It also seemed out of the question to like a man whom he never knew.

He sighed. It all boiled down to these- understanding Kaiba and figuring out whether he liked Kaiba. The latter would need more time, but understanding Kaiba was something he could settle for and try now.

"Kaiba."

The brunette turned back and gazed at him expectantly.

"Have you always been a ... gay?" Jounouchi asked discomfited.

Seemingly not a bit flustered, Kaiba nodded absently before correcting him, "Bisexual."

"Since when?" He asked quietly.

"Way back." Kaiba answered his tone honest, "Probably even before high school."

"Oh." Jounouchi mouthed. A thought fluttered through him mind. Could Kaiba's being a bisexual have anything to do with his adoptive father who was rumored to...?

Kaiba frowned, as if reading his mind, "Before you get any strange ideas, Gozaburo had nothing to do with me being bisexual. And neither had he touched me or abused me in any sexual manner before. He – was a fairly good father if you don't count his bizarre demands that I follow his schemes and overtake the world with those weapons of mass destruction. By the way, enlighten me on how you people get the idea."

"Well..." Jounouchi begun. It had actually been just a rumor and a joke in school. Simply because Kaiba had been such a complete anti-social jerk that everyone just wanted to get onto his nerves. But the idea that he was sexually abused by his father eventually became the talk of the school and a discussion matter during reunions. "It just came about since you never really talked about your father and everyone was curious."

Kaiba nodded inattentively.

"Well, then, how many before me?" Jounouchi mumbled, swallowing his pride.

"Mn?"

"How many men and women did you like before me?" Jounouchi blurted. He had never felt so embarrassed in his life.

Kaiba appeared deep in thought for a few moments.

"Six." He finally answered. "Two women, the rest men, all after I went to US."

Jounouchi nodded silently. Well, he had expected Kaiba to be the kind of guys who were more prone to long term relationships unlike Mokuba who was a playboy among girls.

"You?" Kaiba asked, his eyes glowing with inquisitiveness.

"Do I have to tell?"

"Yes. We might as well come clean with each other before you make your decision. We will take turns asking questions."

That sounded reasonable and pretty fun in Jounouchi's point of view. Sort of like truth or dare. Who knows what answers he might get?

He rummaged through his mind for his university years, "I don't know...countless, I guess. I had many girlfriends until Seth, Jono and their mother came into my life. About one girlfriend per school term?"

"Sex deprived mutt." Kaiba scowled.

"Speak for your brother!" Jounouchi shot back, "He sleeps with a different woman every night. Sometimes he even has two per night!"

That promptly shut Kaiba up.

"My turn." Jounouchi hesitated for a moment, "If – I'm saying IF. If we really get together, how would it be? I mean, would it be a long term relationship or just a fling?"

"Mm..." Kaiba begun, a smile seeming to spill at the corner of his lips, "It just occurred to me what Kisara said to me a few days ago..."

"What?"

"She asked, if I married you, who should she call mommy?"

"Wait!" Jounouchi choked, "You mean she knows about us?"

Kaiba shrugged half-heartedly, "You'll be surprised how sensitive kids are. Seth and Jono probably have noticed too."

Jounouchi's mouth hung open.

* * *

  
"Weeeeeeeeeeee!" Kisara let out a scream of delight as the net flung her up, her arms and legs flying about in the air.

"I'm birrrrrrrrrrdmannnnnnnnnnn!" Jono announced as he threw himself off a net which was a level higher than the one Kisara was bouncing on and promptly landed onto the net below and bounced up again.

"And my foot is stuck in between the robes again." Seth complained as he struggled with his foot, trying to wrench it out of the net.

"I'll help you, Theth." Kisara offered. But the net was so springy she couldn't stop. Her small hands wrapped around the red ropes to pull herself down but her legs immediately sprung up into the air uncontrollably. Just as she bounced back down onto the net again, Jono bounded down in front of her. A loud thud was heard as their heads knocked into each other. The two kids yelped and clutched their heads painfully as their bounce subsided.

"Awwww...." Jono clutched his head, "The back of my head hurts."

"My fore head hurtth." Kisara grumbled as she rubbed the reddened pat of her head.

"Now my other foot is stuck." Seth sighed, promptly ignoring the other two as he proceeded to pull his other foot out. He had completely no idea how Kisara and his brother found the net fun.

"You have to hook your toes around the ropes so that you feet won't go through them." Jono tipped as he successfully tugged his brother's feet out the net.

"Or, thtep precithely on the ropeth." Kisara piped, "Or your feet will go right through the bigger holeth."

"All the holes are big." Seth grumbled as he sat cross-legged and tucked his feet on his legs. Now there was no way his feet would get stuck again.

"You feet are small." Jono teased.

"Only half a size smaller than yours!"

"But aren't you twinth?" Kisara interrupted.

"Yeah, but I'm growing faster, "Jono explained, "At least that's what daddy said. Who knows, I may be the older one actually."

"You're not." Seth shot back quickly.

"Who says?"

"The doctor says. Daddy says."

"Ith being older so good?" Kisara raised a brow.

Jono shrugged, "Well, I don't know. It's just good to be the older one, I think."

"Yeah, and I'm still older." Seth informed proudly.

Jono pouted, but argued no more. Then he perked up on seeing his classmates playing catch on the net, "Hey, let's join them!"

"I don't want to." Seth shook his head, "My feet will get caught."

"Fine, Kisara?"

"I think I'll thtay here with Theth."

Oh well. Jono was disappointed. But still, there were still his classmates waiting for him to join the game. He promptly ran off to join them.

The remaining pair sat on the net watching the game of catch for a while.

"Theth, I've got an idea."

Seth paled. Whatever idea Kisara had was most probably going to get them into trouble.

"Hm mp?"

"Let'th go and watch Dragonth." Kisara whispered excitedly.

"Where?"

"Over there." Kisara pointed to the other end of the gym park.

"Those are Komodo Dragons!" Seth reminded.

"But they are thtill dragonth." Kisara insisted, "I want to thee if there ith a blue eyed white colored one."

"Daddy said that there is no blue eyed white colored one."

"We can thtill try." Kisara insisted, her eyes big and hopeful.

"Oh okay..." Seth replied. The little blonde wanted to see if there was a Blue Eye White Dragon too. Besides, he had never seen a Komodo Dragon before. Maybe it would look something like Blue Eyes or Red Eyes.

"Get Jono too." Kisara informed. But Jono was having so much fun he failed to notice the pair waving frantically at him to join them.

"Looks like we'll have to go without him." Seth said.

Kisara shrugged, "Let'th go."

The pair hopped off the net and wore their shoes and socks, which had been taken off because they weren't allowed on the net.

Seeing that Miss Yamato, the other teacher from Class Tortoise and their daddies were not looking, Kisara started to scamper towards the Komodo Dragon's enclosure.

"Wait!" Seth cried as he grabbed Kisara's arm to steer her back, "Aren't we telling daddy?"

"It'th just for a while. We'll be back before they notice." The blue eyed girl replied confidently.

"We can't do that." Seth insisted.

"We'll jutht take one look and be right back, okay? I really want to thee it now!" Kisara called out behind her as she dashed forward enthusiastically.

Seth bit down on his lips. There was no way he could stop or talk Kisara out of it. And he didn't want to leave Kisara alone to go over to the Komodo Dragons.

Well...as long as they got back quickly, they should be okay. Seth chewed on his lips and followed Kisara towards the dragons' fenced land.

* * *

  
Breathless, Jono flopped down onto one of the unoccupied nets and lay there panting. Catch had never been so fun before. Playing on the net was a total universe different from playing on the ground, and it was tremendously fun! If only they could have one at home also. He had little doubt that Kisara would ask her daddy to build a mini one in her playroom. She was so lucky!

Speaking of her, Jono sat up and gazed at where he had left Kisara and his brother. Strange, they weren't there. He didn't really believe that they would abandon him without informing him...

He looked over at his daddy who was currently talking to Kisara's daddy. Kisara and Seth were not there either.

Oh well...

Jono shrugged and lay back onto the net – when a shadow whizzed past him.

The little blonde sat up in surprise.

A monkey, sitting on the net a few holes before him was staring back at him.

"Er...hi?" Jono bit his lips. He did not like monkeys. One had bitten him and scratched Seth in daddy's vet when he and Seth were younger.

He stood up slowly, and so did the monkey, which was mimicking every slight movement that he made.

The money stared at him.

Jono noticed that the monkey didn't look very friendly and that was bad. Very very bad. But Daddy always said when faced with an hostile creature, try to walk away slowly or wait till the other creature walk off. The monkey didn't look like he wanted to leave. Jono figured that he would have to get away somehow.

The monkey opened its mouth, revealing a set of yellow ugly teeth.

Jono gasped.

The monkey snarled.

And Jono screamed –but no voice came out –

The monkey edged towards him, seemingly ready to pounce on him any moment.

The terrified boy took off like lightning.

* * *

  
Seth and Kisara stared at the introductory board.

Uncontrollably, Seth started reading the words and speaking them out aloud, "Komodo Dragons are the largest lizards in the world. Young Komodo Dragons have green bands around their bodies that fade with age. Adult Komodo Dragons have dull grey, leathery skin with occasional spots of red. They have short legs with large talons, a stout body and very long tails that they can use to crush an opponent. Young Komodo Dragons are very adroit at climbing trees. But as they grow older, they tend to stay on the ground. They are superb swimmers and can run at speeds up to 15 miles per hour. At one time, it was thought that Komodo Dragons' saliva were venomous. However, it is now revealed that eating carrion has deposited large amounts of bacteria in the dragon's mouth that causes dragon bites to become infected and eventually kill the animal. Komodo Dragons are cannibals who eat their own young and even other adults when they can pull it off. These dragons are large, ferocious predators that are fully capable of killing and eating a human being. A famous story is that of a German tourist who went to a beach with Komodo Dragons alone to sunbathe. All that was found of him later were his glasses and his camera."

"Wow." Kisara remarked after Seth's speech. She then approached the walled enclosure. But the walls were too high for her too see anything, even when she was on tiptoes.

"I can't thee anything!" She complained, trying to scramble up the wall.

"What are you doing, Kisara?" Seth asked in alarm.

"I jutht want to climb over the wall to thee the dragonth clearly."

"But it's too dangerous!" The little blonde protested.

"Don't worry," Kisara comforted, "There's a thecond fence inthide, I'll thtay within it and climb back after I see the dragonth."

"It's still very dangerous!" Seth insisted, but Kisara was already hurling a leg over the wall to the other side - and then she disappeared over the wall.

Seth waited worriedly. There was no sound coming from Kisara on the other side. He hoped she didn't try anything funny.

"Ouffffff...!" Kisara's sudden yelp came from the other side of the wall.

Startled, Seth flung a leg over and scrambled over the wall too. He was considerably taller than Kisara and the task was much easier for him. There was no one in the small space between the two barriers. Seth immediately pulled himself up the second wall and balanced himself on it to glance over the wall, hoping contradicting that Kisara was and wasn't in it.

But the wall was slippery and he slipped and fell down, landing down in a small pile on to the soil, beside Kisara.

"We are..." Seth gasped in horror.

"In the Komodo Dragons'enclosure." Kisara finished, almost in tears.

Seth scrambled to his feet and surveyed the situation. Daddy and Uncle Yugi had always said being observant in dangerous situation could save them.

There were no Komodo Dragons in sight, and from what he had read just now, and where he was standing right then, he had no wish to see them. The little blonde stared up the walls he had fallen over. They would have to get over the second wall to get onto a heightened landing and then they could scramble over the first wall. But the second wall was very tall; there was no way they could climb over it to the landing. To make it worse, there was no one up there whom they could call for help.

Tears almost filled his eyes as he recalled the German tourist who was left of nothing except his glasses and camera. He didn't wear glasses and didn't bring a camera. His daddy was never going to find him again!

"Look!" Kisara tugged his shirt, "There's an emergency door over there!"

Sure enough, there was one, right at the other end of the terrain.

Huddled together, the pair slowly made their way over, their eyes wide opened to observe every thing around them.

Something stirred behind some bushes. And small waves started forming on the little pond beside them.

Kisara gasped and huddled even closer to Seth. Seth tightened his grip on Kisara.

They walked a few more steps towards the door...

And a small scaly head popped out of a bush ten feet away from them.

Seth and Kisara froze, letting the lizard head observe them – for a moment before a sharp hiss on their other side snatched their attention away.

Fifteen feet away from them, a two meter something lizard was glaring at them, hungrily.

Then a shriek rang from above them. They snapped their heads up to see a women pointing at them and screaming.

At least someone could help them now - if the Dragons could wait...

* * *

  
Jono slammed the toilet's cubicle door close and locked it frantically. He stepped away and fell back weakly, sitting down onto edge of the toilet bowl, as the scratching on the door and hissing amplified.

Why wouldn't the horrible monkey go away? He thought, breathless from the chase and almost in tears. The monkey was terrifying. It had chased him all the way from the web all they way to the toilet which was the nearest hideout he could find. And he still had no idea why he was being chased!

The frenzy scratching and snarling went on for several minutes...before all went silent.

Heart pounding, Jono stood up reluctantly and approached the door quietly. Half expecting the pounding to suddenly continue again, he placed an ear onto the door and listened carefully.

There was no sound, it was utterly silent.

He bit his lips, half relieved but yet still worried. He had no idea whether the monkey was gone or not.

He could either wait till someone come into the toilet and rescue him, or he could take the risk and go out now.

The monkey MIGHT just be gone, he reminded himself.

But then again, it might be waiting for him outside...

Jono paced around the cubicle, if only Seth was here. His elder bother would know what to do. Seth had always been the brighter one.

After what felt like a millennia, Jono finally made his decision. Drawing a deep breathe, he reached for the door loc wit hands slightly trembling. He wasn't afraid, he kept chanting. He was a Red Eyes Black Dragon, and he wasn't afraid of anything...at least he hoped.

Twisting the door lock open, he pushed the door open cautiously.

No monkey outside the door...it was gone.

The little blonde sighed in relief. Now he could quickly run back and tell daddy how terrifying it had been and maybe get daddy to make the zookeepers catch the evil monkey. The delighted boy stepped out happily –

To see a very mad monkey sitting on one of the basins at the end of the toilet.

The monkey hissed and threw itself off the basin at the boy.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" Jono screamed and ran out of the toilet.

* * *

  
"My turn." Kaiba stated sharply.

Jounouchi closed his mouth and took in a deep breath.

"What do you feel about me?"

The breath went out. Jounouchi's mouth dropped open again.

* * *

  
"Alright kids, just stay calm, stand still and don't move at all. We will find a way to get you out of there in a short while."

Seth but his lips and looked up at the fencing where the zookeeper was comforting them. The zookeeper didn't look very calm himself, seemingly completely flustered as he started dialing and calling people on his cell phone.

"I don't want to die!" Kisara mumbled beside him. Seth was glad that Kisara was one brave little girl, at least she wasn't crying or sobbing or anything like that.

"I don't want to die too." Seth whispered back.

Seth glanced up back at the fence. Another two zookeepers had joined the first zookeeper and the three were currently bickering loudly - enough for Seth to hear that they were arguing on how to rescue them, whether to use live bait or just shoot the Komodo Dragons.

Seth sighed in unison with Kisara.

They weren't going to leave the enclosure for a long time at this rate... But he hoped that at the very least, the two of them can still leave it in two whole pieces.

* * *

  
"How do you feel about me?" Kaiba repeated his question.

Jounouchi was completely flustered. "I..."

"Mn?" Kaiba's eyes were drilling into him.

"I don't know." Jounouchi finally admitted. "I'll just tell you this one thing. I've never been attracted to any guy before. I don't know what is it that made me kissed you. I do... find you attractive in a way, but I'm not so sure what it means... Don't ask any more questions like this."

Kaiba nodded slowly, seeming satisfied with his answer.

"You haven't completely answered my last question. Is this just a fling or what?"

Kaiba appeared irate. Jounouchi almost thought the man was going to blow his top at him.

He watched as Kaiba took a deep breathe and looked up deep into his eyes.

"I don't go for flings, Jou. I'm serious about you."

That sounded more serious than Jounouchi wished.

"Your turn." Kaiba informed.

"Okay, who is your connection, who told you about Honda liking me?" Jounouchi asked. It was a question he wanted an answer.

"That's cheating," Kaiba immediately answered. "My connection came to me myself, if you have to know, go find it out yourself."

Jounouchi fumed silently, but he knew there was no way he could get the answer out of Kaiba. Whatever the case, there could only be so many people who told Kaiba.

Yugi was unlikely, as a best friend of Jounouchi, there was no way Yugi would betray him.

Honda?

It seems impossible that the guy would go to a love-rival.

Bakura!

He was there after all and had witnessed their first kiss. It would make sense if Bakura tried to put Kaiba and him together so that Honda wouldn't have a chance.

"Bakura?"

Kaiba merely shrugged.

Jounouchi sighed annoyed,

"Do you like the idea of sleeping with me?" Kaiba asked.

Jounouchi blushed so hard his face could have exploded. "I suppose that since I'm considering it, I don't find it repulsive, strangely, considering I don't regard myself as a gay or bisexual. But sleeping together is not all in a relationship. Are you really serious in thinking about going to bed with me?

"Yes."

"Yeah...but ..."

"But what?"

"It hurts, right?"

Kaiba gave a smirk, "We can think about that later when we come to that stage."

Which could be just one week away...

Jounouchi frowned nervously.

"Since we are at this topic, "Kaiba continued, "Would you like to be on top?"

"You're giving me a choice?" A surprised Jounouchi asked.

"No, I'm just taking the chance to inform you that you'll never get the top."

"What? That means –"

"Your turn, mutt." Kaiba interrupted haughtily.

Arrogant, conceited snub! Jounouchi cursed silently...but then again, that might be why he found the CEO so interesting.

He thought for a while, then spoke, "Since when did you start liking me, Kaiba?"

Kaiba looked away thoughtfully.

There was a short silence between them before he finally spoke.

"I'm not sure, might have been the day I saw you at the therapist centre, or maybe at the wedding, Then again, it could be since high school, as according to Bakura, or maybe it was the day I decided to come back to Domino City. That day, a lot of my past kept coming back to me. Yugi was on my mind the whole of that day, but maybe what I was remembering wasn't him but the shadow that was always tagging him - you."

Jounouchi found himself gawking at Kaiba's long confession.

Finally, he managed a weak smile, "I feel very privileged."

Kaiba reached over and brushed a strand of hair out his face, "You should, puppy."

* * *

  
Large, brown, puppy eyes.

Kaiba wondered if those eyes were what attracted him to the puppy.... Or was it the straw golden hair?

No, that was also a lie. What really attracted him was the puppy's expression - the spirit, the defiance, and the little delicacy of innocent ignorance in it.

The puppy was still gazing at him. He smiled inwardly as his puppy pushed his hand away.

"You forgot the truce." Jounouchi accused rightfully.

Kaiba choose to ignore the remark but willingly decided to make no more intimate attempts until the end of the truce. Jounouchi was silent, having turned away to observe the children.

A frown formed on the blonde's face, and Kaiba turned to study the subject of Jounouchi's observation.

All the kids were still jumping and bouncing all about the net. No one had fallen or hurt themselves...

Kaiba glanced at the faces of the children absently, accounting for every child whom he had easily memorized their names and faces.

Then horror struck him that within those faces, someone was missing...

Kisara?!

He stood up, almost startling the shorter man near him, and scanned the play gym once more. Dread seeped into his heart as Jounouchi stood up beside him too. The mutt's two puppies were also gone.

Damn, he had just turned his attention away from them for a little while!

Miss Yamato was now walking towards them, a worried frown on her face.

"Did Seth, Jono and Kisara say they were going to the toilet or anything?" The petite woman asked calmly, but her voice still trembled ever so slightly.

"No." Kaiba could have snapped back, but he reminded himself that Kisara's absence was also due to him not watching over her.

"Holy Hell." Jounouchi mumbled beside him.

He turned his attention to the far end of the road, where Jounouchi had previously pointed out that it was the Komodo Dragon's enclosure. A crowd of people was already gathering around the enclosure.

_"Are there any blue eyeth white colored oneth?"_

He cursed and was running towards the enclosure before he even knew it...

The sight that greeted him was more horrendous than when he learnt that he could decipher ancient Egypt hierograms.

Seth and Kisara were standing in the enclosure, between two large lizards that looked really hungry.

A wave of dizziness from shock came over him as his face paled. Jounouchi had followed behind him and immediately grabbed him before his legs gave way below him.

"I'll be fine." Kaiba steadied himself as the dizziness and nauseous passed. "Get the kids out of the damned enclosure!"

And somewhere beside them, three zookeepers were still arguing over whether to use life bait or to anesthetize the lizards or kill them.

"Give me the anesthetic gun!" Jounouchi snapped at the three zookeepers as he let go of Kaiba. One of them immediately recognized the blonde as the veterinarian who had took care of their panther previously.

"Uh...of course." The zookeeper replied, handling the gun to the taller man, "But you can't shoot the dragons from here. It's too far away and their skin is very thick. At this distance, the needle won't go in..."

"I know." Jounouchi snapped.

Kaiba watched his mutt flick the safety off the gun confidently.

"You two, follow me. I'll shoot the one nearer to the kids. At that moment, you two each grab one of them and run like hell." Jounouchi instructed.

"But it takes at least ten seconds for the anesthetic to work, and what if the other attacks? Plus, this is a one-ammo gun. You won't have time to reload the gun with anesthetic before the next dragon attacks!" One of the zookeepers sputtered.

A glare from Jounouchi promptly shut him up and Kaiba watched in agony as his mutt disappeared off towards the emergency door.

The emergency door slowly opened and in crept Jounouchi and his two unwilling helpers.

Kaiba's heart missed a beat as a third lizard crawled out of the pond near Kisara and Seth's feet.

"Don't move." The mutt mouthed to the two kids.

A lizard hissed at Kisara. Kaiba could see that his little girl was about to scream already, though she didn't look like she was going to cry...Then it occurred to him there were only two kids in the enclosure. Where was Jono?

The CEO swallowed nervously, praying that nothing had happened to the little boy...he hoped that he wasn't or hadn't been inside. Right then, though, his chief concern was still whether Jounouchi would be able to get the two kids out safely.

* * *

  
They were in very very VERY big trouble. Seth bit his lips and pulled Kisara even closer to him as the big lizard from the bush hissed, its saliva drooling copiously, started waddling out towards them. Those short stumpy legs, he knew, could run faster than a dog.

He glanced at his daddy, who had come in through the emergency door and was holding a very big gun. Seth hoped his daddy would bring them out quickly.

His daddy was now inching over quietly, with the two men behind him, in pace with the big lizard who was eyeing Kisara and him, as well as his daddy and the two men.

And then his daddy raised the gun and took aim.

The two meter lizard was now ignoring the raised gun and the three men and moving very quickly towards him and Kisara. To make it worse, he could see another two Komodo Dragons moving up from the left of his daddy, closing in the thirty feet between them

Seth felt his heartbeat increasing.

His daddy was still taking aim at the lizard's back. Seth raised his hands to cover Kisara's ears and closed his eyes.

A loud shot rang. The noise was almost earsplitting at such close range.

Before he realized what had happened, a strong pair of arms wrapped tightly around him and picked him up swiftly.

Seth opened his eyes immediately and found his feet in the air; he was in the death grip of one of the zookeepers. Kisara was also being carried by their other zookeeper.

Daddy!

His brave daddy must have shot the Komodo dragon and saved them! Then, again, where was his daddy? He wasn't in front of them.

Seth swiveled his head about worriedly to see where his daddy was, heaving a sigh of relieve when he saw his daddy running like mad behind them towards the emergency exit. Three Komodo dragons were hot on their pursuit, though one collapsed after a few steps.

Seth turned back to the emergency door. They were but a few more steps away from the door. They could make it. The lizards were not going to have him for lunch after all –

And then his transporter fell over a tree root.

He was flung heavily onto the floor. He looked up immediately. His carrier had instantly climbed up after the fall and had made a mad dash to the safety zone, leaving him to the clutches of the dragons.

Seth gawked in horror as a Komodo Dragon appeared out of no way and sprinted on its short legs towards him. A cry threatened to spill out his throat when a loud familiar cry rang above behind the walls. He looked up for a split second and saw his twin brother clinging on – or maybe it was the other way round, on a snarling monkey.

Another cry of anger was heard and then a monkey came rocketing down into the enclosure.

The Komodo Dragons in the terrains all paused in their scuttle, distracted.

Seth bit down on his lips, holding back his tears.

The Komodo Dragons went for the monkey.

The sense of relieve was simply so great he could hold his tears no longer.

Then someone grabbed him and lugged him out of the enclosure roughly.

Seth looked up to see his new transporter and smiled through tears when he saw who it was, his daddy.

* * *

  
Kaiba leaned back onto the chair seat as the school bus pulled out of the zoo. The school trip had ended abruptly with the Komodo Dragon incident. The kids' teachers had been very embarrassed about the whole incident the kids had caused, as well as angry at the zoo for not saving the kids, especially about the zookeeper abandoning Seth at the last moments.

The zoo had compensated for the incident, offering their school free field trips and food vouchers in the future. Nevertheless, Kaiba doubted the school will be visiting the zoo any time soon.

He wondered briefly if the episode would appear on the newspaper tomorrow. It seemed more than likely, with so many witnesses there.

The CEO could already imagine the words on tomorrow's newspapers' front page.

"**BOY THROWS MONKEY INTO KOMODO DRAGON CAGE TO SAVE TWIN AND FRIEND!**"

A slight frown lined his face as he speculated if anyone had recognized Kisara as a Kaiba. He didn't need to make another headline like when he had just returned.

"Aww..." Jono complained, disrupting Kaiba's thought. The little blonde had plasters and light bandages over his face and hands, where the 'evil monkey', as the kids had labeled, had scratched him. "I never ever want to go to the zoo again."

Kaiba returned an empathetic smile. The little boy, had after all, been the one who saved Kisara, Jono and Jounouchi.

Kaiba turned to gaze at the mutt sitting beside him. While Jounouchi had appeared so calm previously when he saw the kids in the enclosure, he didn't seem very relaxed now. The mutt was visibly shaken and was now staring vacantly at Seth, who had fallen asleep from his previous nightmare and was leaning on a very sleepy Kisara.

He rested a hand on the blonde's shoulder and was both surprised and relieved that Jounouchi didn't push it away.

"The kids are all alright." Kaiba said softly.

It was sometime before Jounouchi responded, still staring at Seth.

"I know."

"Thank you." Kaiba whispered gently, though he wasn't sure what he was thanking Jounouchi for, it could be for saving Kisara, or maybe for their earlier conversation, or even simply for not pushing his hand away when he touched him.

Jounouchi did not respond.

Kaiba moved his hand down and patted Jounouchi's hand tenderly before resting his hand over Jounouchi's. Jounouchi didn't look like he noticed, or maybe he didn't mind.

Kaiba closed his eyes and leaned back on the seat. It had been a long time since he last held anyone's hand beside Kisara's. The warmth from Jounouchi's hand was comforting.

He had not appreciated touching when he was younger. Nevertheless as he matured, the idea of touch, having someone there for comfort became something he seek. That was probably why people tend to find life partners and settle down.

And somehow, his heart had chosen Katsuya Jounouchi to be the person.

Kaiba tightened his clasp on Jounouchi's hand.

One more week, and he would know Jounouchi's decision, not that he would really give up even if the pup rejected him.

But for then, holding his hand was enough.  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1) Readers, do not worry about the monkey, it escaped safely from the Komodo Dragons. No animals or lizards were killed or harmed in anyway in the production of this fanfic... other then maybe a headless Red Eyes, a headless Blue Eyes, a completely baked God Phoenix and a few torn Kuribos....and we do not regret to inform you that we don't account for the insects injured in the Duelling Insect Grand Prix.

2) We'll try to keep up our pace of updating. But now the chapters are longer and in order to throw in more fluff, we need more time. We'll do our best!

3) This story should be quite long. Do keep in mind we are only up to Chapter 8 now. The first two sections are prologues.

4) Finally, thank you to all reviewers and supporters! TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran and many more who has yet to leave a name!

5) Our sincere apologies to those whom we spelt your names wrongly accidentally in the previous chapter.

) Next chapter is too fluffy and sweet!!!!!! plus extremely long, so be patient...


	11. Chapter 9: The Daddy Trap

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 9**  


* * *

  
Cool, revitalizing water rained down on Jounouchi as he closed his eyes. He ran his fingers through his matted hair and allowed them to linger under the shower head for a while, drenching them before turning his face up to enjoy the cold water on his face.

Holidays were great.

Why hadn't he taken more of them in the past few years?

The showering blonde made a quick calculation in his head. One and a half years. The last time he had gone on a holiday was one and a half years ago, and that was only because he had won a lucky draw for a family of four to go to Kaiba Land France and the kids had begged him to take the opportunity.

Afterwards, it had been work that kept him from going for any holidays. Seth and Jono did go for vacations, though. Shizuka would bring them to beaches and skiing resorts. His parents would bring their twin grandchildren overseas. But he, the doctor, had not taken more than a day off since the trip to France.

Considering all these, Jounouchi realised with grim regret that he had become some sort of a workaholic, working twenty-four hours on all seven days as much as he could. And to think that back in high school, he had always ostracized Kaiba for being a workaholic. He sighed. Making a living was not easy.

Jounouchi pushed all thoughts of work to the back of his mind. No point in thinking about it now.

H was now on holiday, away from all the hard work, away from Domino City and most of all, away from Seto Kaiba.

The veterinarian smirked almost triumphantly.

It had been a week since the zoo trip, and almost two weeks since Kaiba's truce.

Just on the past Thursday, he had been almost frantic with the coming Sunday approaching fast. And then, Seth and Jono had offered the most brilliant solution.

_"Daddy, can we go on a three days two nights cruise?"_

Jounouchi had agreed eagerly and immediately booked the tickets for the Friday night trip.

The ship was _Noa's Ark_, run by Kaiba Corp. Jounouchi would have taken another ship if he could, but it was the only ship running on Friday, the only getaway he could find on such short notice. He didn't really mind it, though, after thinking about it. The chances of him meeting Kaiba on the cruise were almost zero, after all Kaiba wouldn't know he was on a cruise. Besides, Noa's Ark was one of the newest cruises around and was equipped with a lot of game facilities, it was almost a Kaiba Land on sea, the twins would love it.

And so they did, after boarding the ship and settling down in their room, the kids had happily checked out the whole ship with Jounouchi tagging behind them to make sure they didn't get into troubles. They had met up with many of the ship's crew members, who warmly offered to look out for the children so that he could enjoy the ship's other facilities. In fact, the twins had been so adored that even the captain had offered to given them a tour around the prohibited areas of the ship.

In any case, Jounouchi was enjoying a wonderful three days break from work, two days rest from taking care about the kids, as well as an extra day to put off Kaiba's question which was supposedly due on the next day.

Grinning wickedly to himself, he reached for the shower cream and proceeded to soap himself while pondering on which restaurant they should go for lunch that afternoon

* * *

  
Sitting at the pool bar, Seth and Jono, both in swimming trunks, were enjoying a glass of free fruit punch offered by the sweet bartender when a mildly familiar head of pale hair splashed into the water beside them.

Grimacing as water ran up their noses, the twins sputtered, coughed and unhappily turned to acknowledge their intruder. The small girl, dressed in a light blue and white swim suit wiped off all annoyance on their faces immediately and instead brought a smile of delight to both of them.

"Kisara, you made it!" Jono exclaimed in glee. "We almost thought you didn't get onto the ship. We were searching for you the whole of last evening and this morning!"

Kisara grinned, "Yelp. I made it, luckily. But I couldn't find you two either! The thhip is big!"

Seth and Jono both nodded in agreement, "We got lost a lot of times too."

"I got lotht many many many timths, but the crew on the thhip alwayth bringth me back to my room." The pale haired girl pushed up the oversized sunglasses she was wearing onto her head to use as a hair band, "Daddy almotht did not allowed me to come down here jutht now, he didn't want to have me getting lotht and bothering the crew again. I convinced him that I would thtay only at the children'th pool, and I'm tho glad I came down to find you here. Anyway, Daddy'th coming down later, tho we'll have to carry out our daddy trap thoon."

"Okay... but we haven't come up with an exact follow-up plan yet...When is your daddy coming?"

"At around three-thirty," Kisara replied thoughtfully, "Daddy thaid he wath going to come only after watching the thtocks review."

"That still gives us some time to come up with something" Seth piped, "You had a hard time getting your daddy to come for the cruise?"

Kisara nodded, "Yep. He thaid that he had been taking a lot of breakth already and that he had thomething very very important on tomorrow. Luckily, Uncle Mokuba helped me to convince daddy. Where'th your daddy?"

"He went back to our cabin to take a shower. We are supposed to go back and meet him when we're done swimming." Seth answered.

"Which room are you staying?" Jono asked.

"We're on Deck 10, room 1002, it'th great, with a Jacuzzi and a balcony!"

"Wow!" Jono marvelled. "Ours only have a balcony. Hey we're on Deck 10 too, 1006!"

Kisara's eyes widened as she realized what it meant, "That meanth we live very near to each other! Thtrange that we didn't manage to meet up until now."

"So how do we get our daddy and your daddy to meet up?" Seth interrupted. He then added, "Without letting them know that we are behind all these."

Kisara was thoughtful for a while.

"I know!" Kisara suddenly announced triumphantly.

"Shoot." Jono and Seth said in unison.

"My daddy'th coming up to meet me at three-thirty, remember? Thince we live on the thame deck, maybe we can get them to leave the room at the thame time, then they will thee each other and then... I guethth we will know what happenth later!" Kisara declared enthusiastically.

"But how are we going to get Daddy out of the room? Are we going to let him see us?" Seth asked, before biting down on his lips.

A small frown like her daddy's lined up her face, before her face eventually brightened.

"I have the betht idea!"

* * *

  
Jounouchi frowned as a rampage of knocking was heard on his cabin door. It had to be the twins, back from their swim, probably knocking because they had forgotten to take their own card key when they left the room and were freezing outside in the air-con.

He glanced down at his hands, which was as soapy as the rest of his body. What perfect timing.

The pounding increased and became louder.

Damn, he would have to open the door before the kids tear down the door or before their neighbour complained.

There wasn't time for him to wash off the soap. He could do that later. After all, he would just be out of the shower for a jiffy.

Turning off the tap, Jounouchi wrapped a large white towel provided by the cruise around his waist and stepped out of the bathroom. The cabin door was shaking off its hinges.

Annoyed, he opened the door and was greeted by two front-teeth-less girls. Jounouchi felt almost embarrassed.

The two little girls' eyes widened as they observed the man wearing nothing but a towel. Nevertheless, they managed to compose themselves quickly.

"Erm, we're looking for..."One girl started and then paused, seemingly having forgotten who she was looking for.

"Jono and Seth, I think." The other girl continued for her.

I think?

Jounouchi raised a brow. The girls were fidgeting nervously as though worried about being caught for some crime. Weird.

"I think you can find them at the children's pool." Jounouchi told them amiably while a thought ran through his mind. When did Jono and Seth, his extremely shy pair of twins learn to make friends? He understood that Kisara had a part to do with the twins making friends in school, but... Kisara wasn't here...

"Oh, thank you." The second girl mumbled almost inaudibly and ran off with her counterpart.

Jounouchi poked his head out of the cabin and watched as the girls ran down the long carpeted corridor carpet and disappeared into a corner.

He frowned and was about to return to his bath when he thought he saw three familiar heads poking out from the corner.

That was Seth and Jono... and the third...

Kisara....?

* * *

  
"Oh great, he thaw us!" Kisara screeched as the three kids pulled back and leaned against the wall.

"What now?" Seth asked worriedly.

"We do ath planned." Kisara replied hastily. "Your daddy'th out of the room. My daddy will be coming out in a few momentth, then they will meet!"

"But daddy is dripping wet!"

"Tho?"

"Guys, I think daddy is headed towards us now. I say we run like hell and come back later to see what happens." Jono interjected as he peered over the corner quickly once to confirm the news.

The three kids looked at each other, nodded and took off like wind.

* * *

  
Jounouchi had taken several steps before he realized the absurdity of it. There was no way at all Kisara could be on the ship, or at least he hoped. That had to be just a little girl who looked like Kisara whom the twins had managed to befriend.

He had no idea why the twins were doing these- getting their friends to knock on the door asking for him and then peep at him. Whatever the case, he could question them later. Finishing his bath was more important now -

And that was when it hit him.

The cabin door!

He turned back hastily to the door and watched in apprehension as the door mechanically swung close with a soft 'click', which indicated that it had been locked. Without even going over to try the door knob, the veterinarian already knew that the door could not be opened, unless he had a digital card key, which he had left in the cabin. Dread and consternation ran through him as he grasped the outrageous fact that he was locked out of his own cabin, dripping of water and soap, wearing nothing but a towel.

He tried the door, hoping that by some utmost miracle that it wouldn't be locked, but it was firmly latched. He sighed. There was nothing he could do now but to hope that a cruise crew, preferably male, would walk by and open the door for him, and that no other cruisers, especially females, would stumble by.

He was forming a puddle where he stood on the carpet, but there was nothing he could do about that right now.

Tightening the towel around his waist, Jounouchi deliberated over his other possible solutions and finally figured that there was something else he could do - that is to go to somewhere public to seek help, like the children's pool which was located at the other end of the corridor, some five hundred meters away.

His mouth pulled into a grim frown.

Heck, he wasn't going to run across the corridor to the pool and risk dropping his towel or embarrassing some lady.

The only other possibility was to knock on his neighbours' door and ask to use their cabin phone to call the administration counter so that they can send someone down to open his door.

Jounouchi brooded over the option. It beat standing there and waiting in the air-coned environment, which was starting to take effect on him. The negative side of it was that his neighbour might be a female and thought him as a pervert.

The cold air caused him to shudder involuntarily. He had to make his decision fast.

And that was when fate decided for him -

A cabin door four doors away opened.

Jounouchi froze, mentally preparing for some odd stares or perhaps even some hysteria screaming. But what greeting him was horrifying beyond what he could have imagined.

A familiar tall brunette, wearing a sleeveless translucent vest, a loose black belt complimenting a pair of black slacks that outlined his lean figure, stepped out of the room, with a cell phone plastered to his ear.

Jounouchi's eyes widened as his mouth dropped open.

The brunette turned towards him absently and appeared equally stunned when Jounouchi came into the taller man's view.

A soft thud was heard as the brunette's cell phone fell from his hand and hit the soft carpet.

It wasn't just any brunette that was staring at Jounouchi currently.

It was Seto Kaiba.

And what was HE doing here? Jounouchi felt like running over to hug the man. No. He wanted to hurl himself off the ship.

To think that he came all the way to cruise, spending over more than one month of his salary to enjoy his Oceanview Stateroom cabin, which was the only few cabins available by the time he booked the tickets, particularly to avoid the brunette.

And here he was, staring at Seto Kaiba who was just a few feet away from him.

And –

He was wearing only a towel and dripping wet like shampooed mutt who had just escaped bathing time.

Moments passed before either of them made a move.

While Kaiba picked up his phone mutely, Jounouchi turned away to tighten his towel again, feeling utterly mortified.

He cursed silently. Since when he did become embarrassed about his physique in front of other guys?

Oh yeah, since guys started confessing their love for him. Two guys, so far, to be exact...

His thoughts drifted away momentarily. Two in a month... What if it becomes routine? He might just get use to it...

"Mutt."

Jounouchi snapped out of his eccentric thoughts and focused his attention on his troubles at hand.

"What are you doing here?" Kaiba demanded, after he ended the conversation on the cell phone abruptly.

"Enjoying a cruise vacation with the twins." Jounouchi snapped.

"Wearing nothing but a towel along a corridor?" Kaiba ridiculed.

Jounouchi felt really like throwing himself off the ship now.

"I... got locked out outside my cabin." He muttered through clenched teeth.

Of all people why did it have to be Kaiba who came along?! And what the hell was he doing on the ship?

"Stupid mutt." Kaiba teased. Jounouchi could swear a smile was creeping up on Kaiba's face.

Could Kaiba have had set up his little locked-out incident?

The idea came suddenly and curtly. Stupid. Jounouchi scolded himself instantly. It was obvious Kaiba didn't know that he was on the ship and Kaiba wouldn't go to such lengths to get him into his mercy...

But then again...Kaiba was well known to be a 'ruthless' man who would do anything to get what he wanted, including 'killing' his own step-father.

Jounouchi shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Kaiba was still staring at him, as if waiting for him to beg for help.

Jounouchi scowled. "Just let me use your cabin phone and I'll call a crew member up to open the door."

Kaiba raised a brow but graciously stepped out of the way, allowing Jounouchi to enter the Executive Suite.

The cabin was much bigger than his own cabin, Jounouchi noted, with a Jacuzzi and a balcony. It was definitely more expensive than his Oceanview Stateroom, but then since Kaiba was the boss around, who was going to charge him?

"Go and finish your shower." Kaiba ordered and stepped into the room behind Jounouchi. "I'll make the call."

Jounouchi hesitated for an instant.

His soap was starting to cause some itchiness and he really wanted to wash it off. But bathing in Kaiba's room... was potentially dangerous... Then again, hadn't Kaiba already bathed him once?

"Fine." He mumbled and disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

  
"Whoa!!!" Jono awed. "Your trap worked, Kisara! Daddy went into your daddy's room!"

Kisara beamed back at him as the three kids pulled their heads back from the corner where they had been spying their fathers from.

"It'th not completely all my work. We have to thank the girls later."

"Yep." Jono agreed. "You promised them two chocolate cakes."

"Eathy. I'll get the crew memberth to give me two later. They are all tho thcared of me and daddy. And of course, Theth has a part to play too. " She turned to the bashful boy beside her. "You were the one who came up with the Daddy Trap!"

The boy looked down shyly. "It's all for daddy... after how he saved us last week at the zoo."

The mention of the zoo brought the mood of the three children down considerably. The trip had been disastrous for all of them. Kisara developed a phobia towards all types of lizards while Seth had nightmares on the Komodo Dragons for three whole nights. Jono, though not as traumatized as the other two, still had some scratches and bites from the 'evil monkey'.

"But does daddy really like Kisara's daddy?" Seth finally asked frowning.

"They must do!" Kisara whispered excitedly. "We thaw them holding handth the other day on the buth after the zoo trip, Jono, remember?"

Jono nodded agreeing. "Yep, and there was that day at your house, our daddy was looking at your daddy so lovingly!"

Seth thought for a moment, "I guess so. That morning at Aunt Shizuka's wedding, daddy was also hugging Kisara's daddy."

Jono added. "And daddy was wearing Kisara's daddy's clothes too! They must like each other very much to share their clothes!"

"My daddy and your daddy," Kisara concluded. "mutht be very happy to thee each other now!"

The three kids beamed at each other and gave each other high-fives.

"Come on; let's go back to the pool now." Jono complained. "It's so cold standing here in the air-con."

"Okay." Kisara answered happily. "But as a reminder, no one is to tell our daddieth that we trapped them into coming on the cruithe, NEVER, EVER."

"Aye!" The twins yelled.

Without another word, the three kids flew off to the pool.

* * *

  
Did Kaiba have an obsession with Cinnamon or what? Jounouchi mused as he dried himself with one of the towels in Kaiba's bathroom while observing Kaiba's personal toiletries in the bathroom. Kaiba had apparently brought along his own shower creams, shampoos, conditioners and electronic shavers.

He picked up a black bottle standing beside the sink.

It was a bottle of hair gel spray. No wonder Kaiba's hair was never out of place.

Putting down the bottle, Jounouchi considered his next move as he proceeded to wrap the towel around his waist again.

Should he call out to Kaiba for a robe or dry clothes, or just stay cool and walk out in his towel? After all, the crew member should have arrived with the master card key.

Staying in the bathroom would make him a coward, which he refused to be. Tightening the towel securely around his waist, he peeked out of the bathroom and surveyed the lounge.

Kaiba was standing at the balcony, back towards him, on the cell phone, apparently finishing the conversation he had abruptly ended off earlier.

Jounouchi took the chance to scan the room and found what he was looking for - his familiar clothes, laying neatly on the far end of the bed - nearer to Kaiba, with his card key on top of it. Kaiba had obviously taken the liberty to enter his room and retrieve his items.

He glanced at Kaiba again, who appeared deep in conversation and didn't look like he was going to end the conversation any time soon or turn away from the balcony.

It was now or never.

Taking in a deep breathe, he boldly stepped out of the room, as silently as he could and proceeded to make a dash to the bed. Maybe he could make it to the clothes and back without disturbing Kaiba. Just a few more steps, he could just grab it and -

Too late...

Jounouchi heard Kaiba mumble a low "Imbecile" as his finger tips touched down on his clothes.

Damn! He was so close!

Kaiba had slipped his phone into his coat pocket, spun around and was now smirking at the sight.

"What are you grinning at?" Jounouchi snapped as he grabbed his clothes.

"At your vulnerability." Kaiba leered, unashamed of staring at the other man at all. Jounouchi gawked helplessly as the CEO started moving towards him.

Within a few steps, before Jounouchi's mind could register what was happening, Kaiba had grabbed him by the wrist aggressively, spun him around and threw him onto the bed on his back. The next instant, he could smell Kaiba and feel Kaiba's warmth emitting as the taller man leaned down above him.

"Get off me." Jounouchi snarled and struggled to push him off, but gravity was working against him. Moreover, Kaiba had always been the stronger of the two of them.

"No." Kaiba voice was deep and husky above him, a growl from a predator. It was the kind of voice that could make both men and women weak with longing.

"Get off me." Jounouchi requested again, but his tone was much more feeble this round. The cinnamon smell mixed with starch was overwhelming him. Kaiba's face was now but inches away. Jounouchi wondered if Kaiba was going to kiss him again. He knew that he had no defence against the other man's kiss.

Mastering all his will, he shouted "This is against our truce."

Kaiba smirked.

"It's been almost two weeks, puppy, and our truce ends tomorrow. Surely you have the answer by now." Kaiba whispered into his ear, pinning him on the bed with his weight. "Besides it's a punishment for trying to escape from answering my question. Bad puppy. I want my answer, now."

"You came for the cruise too." Jounouchi argued. Kaiba was now practically lying wholly on top of him and he could feel the weight of Kaiba pressing down on him, the taller man's warmth warming his naked skin. Jounouchi felt his heartbeat rocket bizarrely. His heart had to be pounding so hard Kaiba could feel it.

Kaiba was staring into his eyes. Conversely, he was also staring into Kaiba's eyes. Kaiba's eyes told him that he was serious and that he was truly waiting for an answer.

An answer which Jounouchi could not give...and which he didn't know the answer.

Honestly, he did like Kaiba. Even if it was just one tweeny weeny little bit. The feeling was discovered while kissing Kaiba in the swimming pool that beautiful morning. Something had sparkled off. The emotion had been so strong he almost admitted to liking Kaiba in the music room that afternoon.

But love and lust was also intertwined in his feelings towards his previous archenemy, and Jounouchi didn't consider lust to be a factor in a healthy relationship. But then again, two men didn't sound like a very healthy relationship to begin with.

He turned his face away.

Immediately, Kaiba's free hand reached over and turned his head back gently.

Honey brown eyes met ocean blue eyes once again before the distance between was closed.

Kaiba's lips were once again on his face, but this time, Kaiba started at the forehead, kissing and sucking gently. Missed you, those soft lips told him and Jounouchi almost felt like returning the kiss. He summoned all his will to push Kaiba way but his wrists were pinned successfully under Kaiba's hands.

Kaiba's lips moved down to his eye lashes, lingering there for a moment before it proceeded to his cheek. Jounouchi felt his spine stiffen. Kaiba's warm breath on the nape of his neck felt so good. Don't stop, Jounouchi begged silently, though a part of him was also screaming for an end to all these.

His lids fell close involuntarily. Jounouchi found his own lips making its way to Kaiba's neck. He could feel Kaiba's nose smelling his wet shampooed hair. He found Kaiba's neck and starting to nibble on it. Soft and warm. And he always had thought that Kaiba's pale skin would be cold and hard like marble. The brunette arched his neck for him.

He bit a little too hard into Kaiba's neck...and thought he heard Kaiba whimper. He compensated by kissing the soft skin gently.

The dreamlike time could go on eternally; Jounouchi flung away whatever doubts he had on his mind for the moment, those could wait. Just let him enjoy the moment for now, until-

Until he felt Kaiba's hand leaving his wrist, tugging at his towel and loosening it.

He snapped back into reality instantly.

His knee went up straight away and he kicked Kaiba- in the best or worst place, depending on the point of view- as gently as he could, or so he thought.

Kaiba instantly flew off him and collapsed onto the floor, grimacing in pain.

A twinge of dull pain ran through Jounouchi. But the damage had been done and apologies would not work. And a corner of his heart felt that the CEO deserved it...though, had the kick been so hard?

Whatever the case, he didn't want to stay any longer to find out. He secured his towel hurriedly and grabbed his items.

Then he did the only thing he could- he fled.

* * *

  
Kisara stepped into the Executive Suite excitedly. She had such good news for her daddy-

And she found her daddy half-crouching-half-kneeling on the carpeted floor, visibly in pain. The odd sight stunned her for a second, before her senses returned.

"Daddy, are you okay?" She rushed over worriedly.

It had been only about an hour since she had left with Jono and Seth for the pool. Her child's mind could not figure out what could have happened to her daddy with the twins' father during the one hour they were together that could have caused her daddy to be grimacing in pain, stuck in the awkward posture.

"I'll be fine. Kisara." Her daddy muttered through his pain. "You're dripping wet. Go and shower before you catch a cold."

"Okay. You thure you're okay, daddy? Thhould I get a doctor?" Kisara asked anxiously. Did the plan not work out? Did Seth and Jono's daddy beat daddy up?

"No doctors, Kisara. I'm okay." Kaiba insisted, attempting to stand up to prove it to his daughter. "Go bath. I'll pass you your clothes later."

Kisara bit down on her lips but did as told.

* * *

  
Once Kisara had disappeared from sight, Kaiba allowed himself to fall back onto the bed. Not moving at all was the best solution to his pain currently.

Damn mutt! He cursed silently.

Alright, reflecting on his own part, maybe he shouldn't have rushed to the bed part, but then again, the mutt had absolutely no right to kick him where he did, and so hard.

The mutt didn't even bother returning to check on him after the murder attempt, leaving him to lie on the floor helplessly some ten minutes before Kisara came into the room. Was the mutt that frightened?

He sighed. It was impossible to understand Jounouchi. He would have to read up more books on dogs. He made a mental reminder to have his secretary buy a few guide books for training puppies.

Another twenty minutes passed before he felt well enough to move around. He had a feeling that he would never be able to attend to his toilet business without being reminded of the mutt and the pain of his kick again.

Kisara was yelling for her clothes from the bathroom. The little girl, though normally bold in most aspects, refused to be seen wearing nothing in front of males. The fact was quite comforting to the father. At least he wouldn't have to worry about his little girl growing up to become those women who wear the most meagre amount of cloth as if they had no money.

Kaiba collected her clothes and passed them to her.

"Hey daddy, I've got really good newth for you." Kisara announced in the bathroom.

"Mn?" Kaiba grunted, lying flat on the bed, making himself comfortable.

"Jono and Theth are altho on the thhip! I met them jutht now at the pool."

"Mn."

"Can we have lunch with them later? Theth and Jono thaid they will athk their daddy,"

"Mn."

"It will be real fun! I can't believe we actually met them on the cruithe! How lucky!"

"Mn...?" Kaiba frowned. Lucky? A gut feeling of suspicion was building up in him, telling him that something was wrong. He had a feeling things weren't as coincidental as it seemed...

"So the lunch ith on?"

"Fine. We'll have lunch together." Kaiba answered. Be it coincidence or luck, things were going to get interesting.

He smirked.

Jounouchi was going to pay hell for what he did!

* * *

  
"And then I found daddy in extreme pain on the floor..." Kisara whispered to Seth and Jono beside them.

They were sitting in a row together in the restaurant having a late lunch at two-thirty, with their daddies opposite them.

"What happened?" Jono whispered back while chewing on his fries.

Kisara shrugged as she turned to watch the adults. Her daddy was currently glaring at a visibly uncomfortable Seth and Jono's daddy, who was stealing little peeks at her daddy every now and then.

"Daddy was pretty nervous when we told him we were having lunch with you and your daddy." Seth mumbled.

The three kids looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Whatever. We don't know what happened to them when they met, but at leatht the trap to get them onto the ship together worked." Kisara said, her voice low as she popped another fry into her mouth.

"Your Daddy Trap to get them together was real great, Seth!" Jono beamed at his brother.

Seth shrugged shyly. "It was nothing. Just a matter of manipulating..."

"Many what?" Kisara and Jono looked at him blankly.

"Mani-pulating." Seth repeated, looking at the two questioningly. "You've got to read more...Never mind, now that we've got, both our daddies onto the cruise as planned and let them meet up, what's up next?"

Kisara and Jono looked at each other and then both shrugged.

"I think we jutht let thingth be..." Kisara said.

Jono and Seth nodded, agreeing with her and returned to their meals, at the same time continuing to observe their daddies.

* * *

  
"Look, Kaiba, I...am sorry for what happened earlier in your room..."

Kaiba scowled as Jounouchi reminded him of the excruciating incident earlier that day. But at least the mutt was apologising now.

"You... okay?" Jounouchi went on to ask. He had the most apologetic expression on his face.

"I'm fine." Kaiba snapped. "But perhaps you would like to think twice before you attempt it again."

Kaiba was truly surprised when Jounouchi nodded sheepishly, and turned away, not daring to meet his eyes. The reaction was definitely not what he had foreseen. He had expected the puppy to argue back with him that both of them had a part to play in the incident. But the other man had not said anything more. Kaiba almost felt disappointed.

He turned away and stared off at the sun set, where his puppy was looking at too. The Star Deck, the highest deck of the cruise, where they were now standing offered the most spectacular view of the setting sun and the orangey purple sky. The quiet blow of the wind and the soft roar of the waves enhanced the scene even more.

He checked the kids who were chatting and playing with their Duel Monsters dolls a short distance away before turning back to observe the man beside him.

Jounouchi was leaning against the barrier, watching the endless ocean sparkle in the evening sun. The wind was blowing his blonde hair messily.

Kaiba frowned. The image was so familiar it was intimidating. How could he forget such an image? He had seen Jounouchi standing at the railing watching the sun set just no long ago- the day he first kissed Jounouchi.

He recalled grimly that the puppy had been crying that day, out of happiness for his sister, as well as sorrow that his sister was grown up and was leaving him permanently.

Right then, Jounouchi wasn't crying. But he didn't look very happy either. A slight frown was visible on his youthful face. A look of perplexity, uncertainty and worry.

Damn, he hated it when Jounouchi had that kind of expression on his face. It pained him to know that he was the cause of it. He wanted to see the familiar golden smile on Jounouchi's face. It was then Kaiba realized with bleak regret that Jounouchi had never really smiled at him before. Yes, the puppy had smiled in front of him before, at Yugi and his happy companions, but never directly at him. Kaiba wondered briefly if hell would break loose the day Jounouchi's face lighten up at the sight of him.

Kaiba closed his eyes and took in a deep breathe of the salty air.

The moment lasted mere seconds before he was forced to snap his eyes open.

"MY EXODIA!!!"

Kisara!

Kaiba and Jounouchi spun around towards the kids in unison.

Kisara was leaning over the railing dangerously, tears threatening to spill from her blue eyes which were concentrated on the sea.

Seth was trying to pull her back on to the deck.

"Exodia comes in limited editions! I'll never get another one!" Kisara wailed, tears starting to spill now.

And then it all happened so fast.

There was a loud shout from Jono, "I'll get it back for you!"

In the blink of an eye, the boy was over the railing and screaming as he plunged eighty feet into the ocean below.

Kaiba felt his heart plunge along.

He stepped towards the railing, but Jounouchi was one step faster than him, having climbed over the railing and was freefalling headfirst into the sea.

His heart missed a beat. He rushed to the railing and glared down at the sea, scanning it frantically for his puppy and Jono. The sky was already darkening but there were still the last rays of light, it still shouldn't be that difficult to spot them.

Where were they?!

Kaiba could almost feel all the blood in his body freezing at the thought of never finding Jounouchi again. What if he just sank into the water and was never found again?

His heart was pounding almost to the point of a heart attack as his breathing fastened.

"Stop the ship!" Seth screeched. The boy was already sobbing along with Kisara.

"MAN OVERBOARD!" Kaiba finally mustered the composure to yell. He had to resist every urge to jump down into the sea himself to find his puppy, knowing that jumping into the sea now would only serve to upset Kisara and Seth more. The two of them might even contemplate jumping in as well.

A couple of crew members were already rushing to the railing beside him and scanning the sea along with him. Another was running towards the captain's bridge.

He still couldn't see Jounouchi and Jono. Where were they? He was sure Jounouchi's swimming tactics were good, had seen him swimming back in high school, so why wasn't he up yet? Horrifying scenarios ran through his head. His puppy might have been knocked unconscious when hitting the ocean, or he might have been trying too hard to save Jono that he used up all his air and...drowned.

A loud horn was heard as the ship started to slow down. Kaiba could see a rescue boat being lowered onto the sea decks below.

By then, a crowd had already gathered along the railing, peering over out of curiosity.

And Kaiba was almost on the verge of a nervous breakdown. His heart was thumping away, his hands shaking as they clutched the railing. Jounouchi's name, Katsuya, was repeating itself non-stop in his mind.

Finally, an eternity seemed to have passed before he saw two heads breaking the surface. Jounouchi was clutching on to his son tightly and keeping him above the water. The rescue boat noticed them quickly and moved towards them.

The sense of relief was so great his legs almost gave way below him.

It wasn't until the he saw his puppy and Jono on the rescue boat did he let out the air he had been holding since...

His trembling hands fell to his side, his breathing slowing down, though his heart was still pounding away.

Kisara and Seth had burst into tears beside him.

Kaiba knelt down and collected the two crying kids into his arms.

"They're okay." He soothed numbly as the two kids buried their faces into his shoulders, visibly distressed and very shaken.

"They're okay." He repeated. But he wasn't really comforting the children. The hug and the words were for himself...

* * *

  
"Kaiba, stop glaring at them. They are frightened enough." Jounouchi admonished as he stepped out of his cabin bathroom.

They were back in his cabin where he had just taken another shower after Jono.

Seth and Kisara were still shaken from the ordeal. Jono, on the other hand, appeared a wee bit of pleased for having retrieved Kisara's Exodia behind his guilt-stricken face.

The Exodia was currently blow-drying on the balcony.

"You three are grounded! What were you thinking? Jumping off the ship!" Kaiba ignored him and was practically shouting at them. Why Kaiba was in his cabin was quite beyond him, but he was starting to figure that Kaiba wanted to check on his well-being, or at least the kids'.

Jounouchi watched as his younger son bit down on his lips and lowered his head before coming to his rescue.

"They're just kids. Jono didn't know dangerous it was." He explained, pushing Kaiba to the balcony.

He hadn't had the heart to scold the kids at all, not after watching Kisara and Seth's tearful faces. Moreover, he had done the same trick - jumping off the ship - when retrieving Yugi's Exodia cards. Who was he to speak and scold the kids?

Besides, He had heard Kaiba launching into a rampage of angry words as soon as Jono had stepped out of the bathroom and joined the other two kids. Jounouchi had allowed Kaiba to scold the kids for as long as he bathed, but now that twenty minutes had passed, he supposed that it was enough lecture for the poor children.

"That's enough, Kaiba." He spoke softly, watching Kaiba. Kaiba was obviously upset about the whole incident, probably more than the children added together. "No one was hurt or anything. We are fortunate Jono is a strong swimmer."

"Mn." Kaiba grunted, perceptibly still fuming.

"Daddy," Kisara called out vigilantly from where she sat on the cabin bed between Jono and Seth.

"What?" Kaiba turned his attention back on to his daughter.

"We're grounded, right?" Kisara asked timidly, "For how long?"

Before Kaiba could reply, Jounouchi quickly interrupted.

"Until the each of you can list out ten logical reasons why you should not attempt to jump into the sea again."

Kaiba frowned at him. Jounouchi shrugged. He knew that if it had been up to Kaiba, Kaiba would probably send a helicopter to the cruise right away and have the kids all chartered off home to be grounded. But he didn't feel that it was good to spoil the holiday mood.

"Okay..." Kisara lowered her head, before perking up, "Then can I be grounded in the thame cabin ath Theth and Jono?"

While Kaiba looked like he was about to say no, Jounouchi agreed to it.

"Fine. But then the three of you must come up with thirty different reasons."

Seth and Jono groaned at the large number.

"The three of you got off easy." Kaiba snapped, looking at Jounouchi irately.

"We know." Kisara nodded numbly. "We'll go off to be grounded in our room."

Jounouchi tried his best to hide his smile. Kisara was smart to suggest being grounded in her and her daddy's room. In her executive suite, she could still play in the Jacuzzi with the twins. It was amusing how bold the girl was, to dare to make a bargain with her very furious father. Jounouchi had no doubt the little girl would grow up to be a very good successor of Kaiba Corporation.

He stopped Kaiba from protesting as the trio stepped out of the room, still bouncing in their steps.

Kaiba shook his head defeated.

"I want to talk to you tonight." He demanded as he walked towards the door. "I have an online conference in a few minutes at the ship's business centre."

Jounouchi nodded in acknowledgement. They were problems to be settled, questions to be answered. There was no point in dragging it any longer...

* * *

  
Jounouchi found Kaiba on the star deck.

A crew member had passed a note from Kaiba to him, earlier that night. The note stated that Jounouchi was to meet him at eleven pm sharp.

Kaiba had either neglected to inform him on the location or deliberately made him search the whole ship for him. Jounouchi seriously suspected it was the latter to get back at him for the kick.

He had spent the evening watching the many interesting movies they showed in the Starlight Cinema on board while bidding his time until the meeting with Kaiba, making random checks on the children every now and then.

He had ordered in-room meals for the children earlier the evening and reminded them once again that they were grounded, taking away their card keys so that even if they left the room, they couldn't return to it.

Nonetheless, knowing how smart the children were, Jounouchi believed that the kids could still find other tricks to leave and return to the room, but he doubted they would. The last he checked, the three of them were busy soaking in the room's Jacuzzi, playing their Sea Duel Monsters and coming up with their twenty-second reason.

Kaiba was standing towards the sea, watching the dark ocean against the sky of stars. He was wearing his familiar trench gravity-defying coat when Jounouchi spotted him.

He couldn't guess what Kaiba had on his mind. Kaiba's face was a blank, an expression which frightened him to a small extent. It was a look he was unaccustomed with.

Kaiba turned his head to him for a moment and beckoned him over.

"Come here."

Jounouchi stepped towards him hesitantly.

Kaiba did not respond as Jounouchi stepped in line with him, watching the dark ocean together.

Jounouchi had a thing for the ocean and particularly enjoyed watching it, even if it was in the dark. A memory came to his mind. It had been when they were very young, he had brought Shizuka to the beach and they had watched the ocean until the sunset and the stars were almost out. He had loved the ocean so much back then he had swore that he would live in a house by the sea when he grew up. Mhp...Jounouchi sighed; it would be some time before that dream came true.

A shooting star shot by. He smiled and almost pointed it out to Kaiba before he realised how absurd it was. Why would Kaiba care about shooting stars? He wondered if the other man even knew that shooting stars could be wished upon.

"What did you wish for?" Kaiba asked abruptly.

Oh, so he did know. Jounouchi felt a little guilty for overestimating the CEO's remoteness. He reminded himself briefly that Kaiba was human after all.

"I didn't wish for anything." Jounouchi admitted, "It flew by too fast."

He stole a look at the brunette whose eyes were still on the stars, "So, what did you wish for?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Jounouchi instantly regretted asking, "No."

Kaiba ignored him, "I wished that your answer would be what I want."

"Kaiba I-" Jounouchi frowned but he didn't get to finish his sentence.

"When I kissed you that day on Shizuka's wedding, I wasn't sure why I did it and what I was doing. I thought about it for days and couldn't come up with a satisfied answer." Kaiba interrupted, his eyes sincere and honest.

Kaiba paused. Jounouchi remained silent, not knowing what to say at all.

"Then I met you again in the school, and you looked so sick. I realised I couldn't ditch you. I had to take care of you. Bakura convinced me to treat this as a game to get your heart. But I couldn't. During the Night Out, I was watching out for you the entire time. I brought you home because I wanted to take care of you. That night, my heart was already set on you. But, my mind refused to accept it, out of pride. I told myself that I was attracted to you only physically.

"I was lying to myself. I knew it all along. I am attracted to you, everything about you."

Jounouchi started to say something but he was immediately cut off again.

"At the zoo, when you were saving the kids from the Komodo Dragons, I was more concerned about the kids, because I've seen how you've managed a panther and was confident you could handle the Komodo Dragons."

Jounouchi could have beamed with pride if he wasn't in a situation like this.

He watched as Kaiba continued to stare at the ocean, his eyes glazed.

"But today, when I couldn't see you in the sea, I was... scared... I was afraid that I would never see you again."

Kaiba's voice was trembling slightly.

Jounouchi felt a sharp pain in his heart. Seeing and knowing that Kaiba was frightened was more than shattering. He wasn't used to the proud dragon without the familiar smirk of scorn and confidence.

His heart ached for Kaiba who was opening his heart out to him...

Impulsively, Jounouchi reached out and pulled Kaiba into his arms.

He hugged Kaiba, ignoring the few stares some other lingering couples and crews were giving them. Kaiba's body was tensed and trembling ever so slightly.

Jounouchi ran his hand down Kaiba's back in a soothing motion.

Kaiba was scared, for him.

It did pain him, but yet he could savour a small tinge of sweetness. He finally understood, how much he meant to Kaiba.

He wrapped his arms around Kaiba's neck and allowed Kaiba to rest his head on his shoulder. A thought came to his mind. Smiling faintly, Jounouchi opened his mouth and started.

"Somewhere over the rainbow... blue birds fly..." He sang softly into Kaiba's ear, feeling the taller man jolt in surprise and then succumb back in his embrace, "And the dreams that you dream of, dreams really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star, wake up where the clouds are far behind me..."

It was a song he used to sing to comfort Shizuka when they were kids. It had been years since he last sang it. Miraculously, he could still recall the lyrics.

As the soft song went on, he could feel Kaiba's tensed body relax in his arms.

He held Kaiba for a long time, singing softly, oblivious to the people who were still watching them.

Finally, Kaiba pulled away from him and stared at him with the most confused and worried eyes.

Jounouchi drew in a breath, he had put off the answer for too long.

"I will start a relationship with you."

Kaiba looked absolutely stunned. Jounouchi wondered if he would ever see the look on Kaiba's face again.

* * *

  
Kaiba's heart missed a beat when he heard those seven words.

The rock had finally been lifted off his chest. Taken, he had expected the mutt to submit to him eventually, but to hear the words in reality was still a complete shock to him.

"You are serious." Kaiba whispered. He had to ask, he had to hear it from the puppy's lips again.

"I will start a relationship with you." Jounouchi repeated, looking away visibly embarrassed.

"Thank you." He mumbled.

Jounouchi turned back to him "That's a first. What do you thank me for?"

The two of them stared at each other for a moment of silence, reading each other.

"I don't know. I didn't know what else to say." Kaiba finally confessed.

Jounouchi smiled and wrapped a hand around his tenderly.

They stood for a while quietly watching the stars.

Then Jounouchi spoke again, "Kaiba-"

"Seto." Kaiba corrected quickly. If Jounouchi was serious about being in a relationship with him, there were things the pup needed to learn quickly, not kicking him and calling him the right way were the first few he had to master.

"Whatever." Jounouchi replied carelessly, sending a pang of frustration into Kaiba. Training was to be started once they got back on land, he made a mental note.

"Yes, puppy?"

Jounouchi seemed to flinch ever so lightly at the canine reference.

"Before you get any ideas." Jounouchi said carefully, "I'm not going to sleep with you."

"Mn..." Kaiba grunted teasingly.

"I don't want to be at that stage yet. We both have kids, and they are good friends. Things will get very ugly if we sleep together and then split." Jounouchi explained, "Let's just try out the relationship for a while, okay?"

Kaiba sighed audibly. He was slightly disappointed, then again, neither had he really expected Jounouchi to agree immediately to sleep with him. After all, Jounouchi was new to the world of bisexualism.

Whatever the case, Jounouchi was right in a way. With the kids around, they had to act more responsibly and take into consideration the kids' feelings. The thought had occurred to him before but he had promptly ignored it selfishly. But if Jounouchi was to insist, he could live with it.

Hiding his disappointment and annoyance, Kaiba snorted, "Alright."

"Yugi and your other friends, are you telling them about us?" Kaiba asked softly. It was a sensitive but important issue he needed to know how Jounouchi intend to handle.

Jounouchi appeared thoughtful, "I don't think so. Not yet anyway. Will you tell Mokuba?"

Kaiba pondered on the question guiltily. As much as he would love to share the news with his brother, he couldn't bear to imagine Mokuba's shocked and bewildered look just yet. His brother could, would and had never imagined him as a bisexual. Bringing in the news would be a matter of skill and timing.

"I'll tell him when you tell Shizuka and your parents." He finally decided.

"Alright." Jounouchi nodded absently, and then suppressed a large yawn. "It's getting late. I'm so tired from swimming in the sea and bathing so many times."

Kaiba sighed. He had planned to stay up late with Jounouchi, even if it was just talking. But if the puppy was tired, he would have to let the idea go.

They walked in comfortable silence on the way back to their deck.

They were on their deck, walking side-by-side to their rooms when Jounouchi's hand brushed against his.

It was a mere brush but enough to start a tingling on the back of his neck.

When Jounouchi's hand once again swung close, he tensely grasped Jounouchi's hand and held on to it, mentally checking that they weren't people about.

Jounouchi's bleary eyes seemed to widen for a split seconds before he continued his sleepy amble. Then he squeezed Kaiba's hand welcomingly.

Kaiba relaxed. Rejection was not something he had not dealt with before, but rejection from Jounouchi was something he did not want.

Holding hands, he reluctantly walked his sleepy puppy back to his room.

Seth, Jono and Kisara were fast asleep on Kisara's bed when they returned. Each carrying a twin, they moved Seth and Jono back to Jounouchi's cabin and laid them to sleep.

Finally, they lingered in the corridor between their doors, both reluctant to part. But Kaiba could see that from Jounouchi's massive yawns that his puppy was going to drop soon.

"Goodnight, Katsuya."

"Goodnight, Seto." Jounouchi smiled sleepily.

Kaiba had not expected it-

-when his puppy stepped up and captured his face between his warm hands. There was no hesitation as the puppy closed the distance and planted his lips onto Kaiba's.

It was a quick and innocent kiss, one that scarcely revealed the overwhelming passion within the both of them.

Kaiba stood perfectly still, allowing his puppy to do as he pleased.

After a heartbeat or two, Kaiba felt Jounouchi's lips leaving grudgingly.

Jounouchi smiled sheepishly at him before turning to insert his card key into the slot. "Sweet dreams, Seto."

"Night, puppy." Kaiba whispered.

He stood there in silence for some twenty seconds, reminiscing the short but memorable kiss.

Finally, Kaiba turned to his door and smiling, went back into his room to tuck Kisara in bed.  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1) How the kids' names come about? This is going to be a long answer. So take a deep breath first and prepare for the lengthy essay. Firstly, we don't want the kids' names to be original and out of nowhere. Kisara, Mahaado, Mana and Isis's names are obviously taken from ancient Egypt characters. And you can imagine the kids looking just sort of like them. Marik got his name from Marik. (Marik, the dark one, not Malik Ishtar) Yugi gave the name to commemorate his dead opponent. Plus, it's the only chance to introduce the handsome maniac in here. Harpy's name obviously came from Mai's fetish towards the Harpy Ladies. Seth got his name from the High Priest Set, who is sometimes dubbed as Seth. We choose to call him Seth (Jap: Sefu), because Set Jounouchi sounds strange to us. Jono...there were some rumours that in Jounouchi's past life that he was called Jono. But don't brood over this too much, just take Jono's name as a shortened version of Jounouchi. Nonetheless, now to think about it, Jono Jounouchi sounds really weird... Finally, we let Seth and Jono be a pair of twins because it's cute to imagine them, one growing up to become like Seto and the other like Katsuya.

2) To gurechi, thank you for your offer. For now, we are still okay, but if there are any parts in the coming chapters that we feel that a beta is required, we will not hesitate to ask for your kind help!

3) Again, thank you to all reviewers and supporters! We may not reply to all your reviews but we definitely appreciate all your efforts to read Family of Dragons! Our thanks to TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha formerly Saelbu, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl- 44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, marry03, Hakuryu08 and many more who has yet to leave a name!

4) This chapter is not extremely long, as we thought it would be. But it took a very long time editing, because we want it to be unforgettable.


	12. Chapter 10: First Date

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 10**  


* * *

  
Jounouchi pulled his shirt off and grimaced in frustration. Flinging the shirt aside, he grabbed a pressed suit from a corner of his closet and threw it on quickly, his fingers doing up all the buttons skillfully. Finally, tucking in his suit and straightening his collar, the disheveled blonde studied himself in the mirror.

He frowned.

The black suit, pale yellow shirt did not go well with his blonde hair and black pants. It made him look like a bumblebee.

Checking his closet, Jounouchi confirmed that he still had a white shirt. Throwing off the suit jacket and not bothering to undo his yellow shirt, he pulled on the white shirt to test the effect-

And grimaced at the sight.

Too formal.

He sighed in frustration and almost kicked the mirror. Why was it so difficult to dress up for a date? He never had such problems when dating girls back in University... except maybe one or two of the girls who were older than him. Whatever the case, it was utterly ridiculous to be spending an hour choosing an outfit.

Perhaps he should call Kaiba. But it would sound so bizarre.

_"Can I ask what I should wear for our date?"  
_  
Kaiba would laugh his front teeth off.

A sudden rampage of knocking came from behind his door.

"It's not locked." The weary blond called out.

The door flew open and three laughing and very playful puppies, Seth, Jono and their Golden Retriever Joey, bounded in noisily. Seeing the heap of clothes piled on the bed, the three immediately pounced on to the bed and started wrinkling them.

"You are crumpling the clothes that I'm going to wear" Jounouchi complained.

The three puppies merely paused in their fun for a second before proceeding with their creasing of the clothes.

Jounouchi whined as the dog started chewing on his pillow, wetting it and forming small but visible holes in the pillowcase.

"Joey, down." He barked. The dog gave a mischievous yap and proceeded to roll about in his bed, choosing to ignore his command. And then it rolled right off the bed and hit the floor with an awful thump and a yelp.

Jounouchi sighed and reached over to pick up the dazed puppy. Fingering the small golden fur ball, he knew that it wasn't injured or hurt; but just stunned from the fall. The puppy was growing up to be a real disaster dog, like his twins, and that was one of the reasons to why it had been sent back to the pet shop every time it was sold, no refund demanded. The previous owners couldn't afford and had no patience to send the dog to visit the vet for silly injuries every week. In the end, after a partially blinded eye, two broken rib bones, three injured paws, and countless comings and goings, the twins adopted the puppy.

"Are you going out for a date, daddy?" Jono asked haughtily as he made himself comfortable in his daddy's heap of discarded clothes.

Jounouchi choked and almost dropped the puppy, "Who told you that?"

"Grandpa." Seth replied honestly, retrieving the puppy from his daddy, "He said you had to be preparing for a big date to be dressing up for so long."

"Yeah." Jono nodded, agreeing, "Grandma was asking since when you started dating and when you would be bringing our new mother back to meet them."

Wait till they learnt who he was dating. Jounouchi mused silently. He could not really vision telling his parents about him and Kaiba. He had doubts that they would understand. Realizing that their son was in love with men would inevitably cause a disturbance, especially since their family, from all four sides, had had no history of bisexualism before.

But well, whatever his four parent's reaction, he could deal with that later. If he had to, he would force Seto to deal it with him even if it meant dragging the guy to his house in a bag. Right then, his problem was still on what to wear - something which he did not want Seto to help.

Footsteps came up the stairs and from the weight of them on the wooden boards; Jounouchi figured that the person was either his burly father or his stepfather. Both his fathers were here because his four parents had a custom of meeting up once a week to play scrabble. The custom had come shortly after both his parents remarried and wanted to keep the relationships in the family comfortable.

Initially, it had been the six of them - the four parents, him and Shizuka meeting up for dinner once a week. Eventually, as Shizuka and him grew up and spent more time away from home, the tradition developed into a scrabble session for the four parents instead.

Jounouchi listened for a while longer and decided it was more likely his father, his step father seldom talked to him.

He watched as his father popped a head into the room.

"Preparing for a big date, son?"

"Sort of." Jounouchi almost stuttered, not sure whether he should tell the truth.

The date was a big one; that was true.

It was his first official date with Seto.

The mere though of it was enough to send a blush into his face, but fortunately, the flush was not red enough for his father to notice.

He had been seeing Kaiba for the past two weeks since they returned from the cruise. Every morning after sending the kids to school, they would drive off to a cafe nearby for a second breakfast. There, they would usually talk for an hour or simply just gaze at each other before parting. At times, they would meet for lunch. But all these weren't really considered dates. It was just a routine that they did everyday.

Jounouchi could live without dates. He didn't mind it actually. He knew that Kaiba was busy with Kaiba Corporation, especially since Kaiba took off so much time for the cruise and during the period Jounouchi was sick, Kaiba must be lagging behind in his work. Moreover, he himself was also busy now that Shizuka often take days off to enjoy her post-marriage days. And weekends were reserved for Kaiba's work and daughter, and on his own side, his family and friends.

Finally yesterday morning, while having breakfast, Kaiba had casually suggested.

_"Katsuya, let's go on a date tomorrow night."_

Jounouchi had spilled his coffee all over the table before muttering an embarrassed 'okay'.

"What time is your date?" His father was asking currently.

"Nine-thirty." Jounouchi replied. It was a wacky time to go courting, considering that they both had kids. But Kaiba worked overtime everyday, it was the best that they could do.

"That's half an hour more. Don't you have to pick her up?"

"He -" Jounouchi started before he realized his blunder.

"Both of us have cars." He finished quickly.

His father did not catch the drift and Jounouchi was for once grateful that his father was not the sort of very sensitive parent.

"Alright then. Have fun. We'll send Seth and Jono to bed later." His father informed helpfully.

Seth and Jono groaned and flopped onto the bed, which they been jumping on previously.

"Can't we stay up until you come home?" Jono argued after Jounouchi's father left the room.

"No." Jounouchi replied sternly while proceeding to unbutton the shirts. He had to change into something else, the suits and shirts looked way too solemn.

"Just what the heck should I wear?" He grumbled absently as he pulled out another shirt from his drawer.

Kaiba had not told him where they were going out for supper and a date, leaving him no idea if he should be wearing formal or casual. If they were going to a posh restaurant, he would have to wear a suit and bring a tie. That's where people usually go for dates, Jounouchi reasoned.

But, who was he to say that Kaiba would think likewise? Kaiba had always been strange. It was hard to say where Kaiba might bring him to. In that case, what should he wear?

It was beyond exasperating. Jounouchi threw up his hands in defeat and flopped down wearily in the love seat in a corner of his room.

Finally he turned to his twins, "What should I wear if I'm going out with a really rich person?"

He watched in amusement as his two sons, and even Joey's furry face turned serious and became deep in thought.

"I think you should wear a suit." Seth offered.

"No, daddy, I think you should wear your normal clothes." Jono argued.

Joey gave a perplexed bark.

No answer there. Jounouchi closed his eyes. The date was going to be just so gripping.

* * *

  
In the large open plain kitchen, seven year old Kisara was sitting at the table, doing her homework and gnawing at her pencil. Occasionally she would kick at the table in rhythm to the theme song of Hamtaro which she played boundlessly in her mind, to release the boredom of the endless letter-tracing drills.

"Aw....why....why why why why..."Kisara grumbled quietly as her little hands traced the letters.

"It's just a few more letters." Her uncle comforted from his couch where he was playing duel monster games on the latest Kaiba GameDisk. Kisara pouted, and hastened her tracings.

"Why...why...Y Y Y Y Y Y Y! Z Z Z Z ...awww....Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z ...Done! Uncle Mokuba, can I play the GameDithk now? Please? Theth and Jono'th daddy let them play it all the time."

"You finished all your homework?"

"Er...Yep!"

"Honestly, Kisara."

"Well...I thtill got a teeny weeny bit. But there'th thtill tomorrow and Thunday to do it."

"No. Brother said you have to complete all your homework everyday after school."

"Aw...I only have art homework left. I'll do it tomorrow morning." Kisara begged. Sitting an hour at the table tracing her alphabets and doing Math was more than killing her. If only Seth and Jono were there to play with her. They had not had a chance to meet outside school since the cruise trip. "I promithe."

She watched with hopeful eyes at her Uncle, who was deep in concentration in his game.

"Alright."

Kisara gave a yelp in delight.

"For half an hour, then you do your art homework."

"Aw...." Kisara groaned. But half an hour was better than nothing. The little girl scampered over to take her seat beside her Uncle. "Let'th play Duel Monthter Adventureth! I want to be Blue Eyeth!"

"I'll be Kuribo." Her uncle replied enthusiastically, switching the game to Duel Monsters Adventures.

"Okay." Kisara gave her uncle a perplexed look before resuming all her attention to her game. Even after playing the game so many times with her Uncle, she could never understand why her uncle always chooses the small and weak monsters like Kuribo, Critter or Newt. Weren't Blue Eyes and Black Magicians stronger and easier to win with?

She shrugged and concentrated on the adventure.

* * *

  
Kaiba checked his watch. Nine. Damn, he was going to be late, and for his and Jounouchi's first date.

"Imbeciles." He cursed under his breath. Those worthless morons at his office were always wasting his precious time by asking him impractical questions on his instructions and demands. Why couldn't they just follow orders like good employees and keep their brains useful by doing work instead of gossiping.

He slammed the door open, and instantly felt sorry at the sight of his much shaken elderly butler whom the door narrowly missed.

"Daddy!" Kisara yelped in delight from the television and flew over to throw her arms around his legs. "You're home!"

"Kisara, you'll have to let go of my legs. I can't walk."

"I missed you, daddy."

His blue eyed girl continued holding on to his long legs until he gave her the begrudging little pat on the head she wanted.

He chucked the briefcase to the composed butler, picked Kisara up into his arms and grunted. God, she was getting heavier. "Have you eaten?"

"Yep." Kisara nodded.

"Bathed?"

"Yep."

Kaiba nuzzled her hair and smiled, his little girl smelled of sweet cinnamon. "Finished all your homework?"

"Er...almotht."

Kaiba frowned, "Didn't I say you have to finish all your homework before you get to play?"

"Well..." Kisara mumbled.

Kaiba knew he was being very strict on her. He had never forced Mokuba do his homework in the past, but that was only because his little brother had the discipline to do his homework and pass it up at the end of the day even after playing away the entire weekend. Kisara, whereas, had to be forced to sit at the table with a person supervising, before she was willing to do her homework.

"I'll finithh everything before you come home later, daddy." Kisara promised quickly.

"You better."

"Brother, you're going somewhere?"

Mph... Kaiba debated on whether to tell his brother the truth. Maybe something not too far from it. "I'm meeting someone for busi– "

"Daddy'th going dating!" Kisara interrupted.

Kaiba dropped Kisara, purposely.

The little girl snorted and quickly climbed back on to her feet.

"Going what?" Mokuba gasped, his eyes widened.

"Date-ting." Kisara repeated wickedly.

"You're dating?"

Mokuba was staring at him, eyes so wide they looked like they were going to roll out.

"Yeah..." He managed to mutter without looking awkward or flustered. "Listen, I'm already late. I'm leaving after I change. Help me take care of Kisara, I want her to finish her art homework before she play."

Mokuba nodded blankly. "Heard that, Kisara?"

"Okay." Kisara gave a small grumble.

The house phone rang somewhere down one of the corridors. Kaiba frowned. That was weird; no one called that number except for businesses on the house, and it was relatively late for such calls. Kaiba Corporation's business partners either called the office or the Kaiba brothers' cell phones. Climbing up the stairs, Kaiba realized that he had no idea where the house phone was even located. But, the butler could take care of that.

He entered his room and threw off his suit, changing into a casual shirt and trousers hastily. The clock in his room showed that he was going to be late.

Throwing on another trench coat, he hurried out of the room down the stairs.

"Kisara, remember to do your homework." He reminded, only to find his daughter talking in hushed whispers over the phone, which was located at the foot of the stairs.

Frowning, he wondered briefly who the person on the other line was. Kisara had many friends in school, but they seldom called, except for Jounouchi's twins.

He stopped and listened for a few moments.

"Well, daddy ith wearing a blue button up shirt and black pants pluth a trench coat. Yep, he jutht came home but he changed into thith." Kisara was mumbling in the phone, "Tho, doeth that help your daddy get decided?"

Kaiba almost choked. The mutt couldn't even decide what to wear and needed his twins to help ask?

"Is that Seth and Jono on the line?"

Kisara looked up from her conversation, visibly surprised and mildly irritated, "Daddy, you were eavethdropping!"

"Kisara, you were speaking so loud Martians can hear you."

Kisara pouted, "Yeth, it'th Theth and Jono."

"I want to speak to them."

Kisara looked worried for a few moments, mumbled a few words into the phone and then passed it to him.

"Er...Uncle Kaiba?"

Kaiba couldn't tell whether it was Jono or Seth. "Is your father still at home?"

"Yes."

"Tell him to wear something casual, something he would wear when he goes to a pub."

Silence on the other end of the line, and then muffled voice of the twin on the phone passing on the message to his brother.

Kaiba continued, "And have him to meet me at the road junction where I used to pick you and your father up when he was sick."

"Okay." The voice replied. Kaiba was now pretty sure it was Seth. Seth's voice was not as accented as Jono's.

He returned the receiver to a smiling Kisara and headed out the door.

* * *

  
"Kaiba, where are we going?" Jounouchi frowned as Kaiba's Hyundai Matrix pulled into a street that was well known for night clubs and love motels.

"Seto." Kaiba corrected, "Are you hungry?"

Jounouchi's stomach growled in response.

"A little, but I'll live." Jounouchi admitted.

Kaiba stole a glance at Jounouchi, his eyes leaving the road momentarily.

Jounouchi didn't like that. He trusted Kaiba's driving, but as far as he was concerned, Kaiba stealing glances at him was intimidating. But he himself was also sneaking a few glimpses at Kaiba.

Kisara's and the twin's description was far from what Kaiba was wearing. Kaiba was wearing black leather pants and a blue silk shirt with only the third button fastened. The sight of Kaiba's pale chest was enough to make his heartbeat increase.

"Where's your trench coat?" Jounouchi asked dumbly, anything to distract his mind from that smooth, pale, perfect skin...

"Back seat." Kaiba replied shortly. "The night's too warm for it."

Jounouchi nodded and checked his own clothes again. He had chosen to wear casual in the end, throwing on loose jeans and a red shirt. Then, he had added a gray shirt as a jacket and a gothic necklace for looks.

"We've reached." Kaiba informed, the car suddenly cruising to a stop before a pub.

Jounouchi nodded absently and got off the car, observing the pub. There were a few couples walking in and out of the pub, mostly giggling and huddled together. One couple brushed past them and entered the pub knotted together like how Honda and Bakura always were.

"Sorry." One of them mumbled as he bumped into Jounouchi.

Jounouchi froze. He had thought the person to be a girl from the way he wore, but the voice came out to be male. Moreover, the 'girl's' counterpart was a guy.

Kaiba brought him to a gay bar?

"Kaiba...?" Jounouchi stuttered. This was not exactly a place he had in mind for a date. Pub or bar, yes. _Gay_ bar, no. He was used to watching Bakura and Honda stuck together, but when it came to strangers, he was still somewhat uncomfortable.

"We'll only be here for a moment. I have something to settle." Kaiba whispered into his ear almost apologetically.

"Okay." Jounouchi agreed diffidently. So much for a first date. He had not been expecting that Kaiba would bring him to some where romantic or common, but this? Kaiba's un-romantism was definitely underrated.

A warm tingling sensation filled Jounouchi's back when Kaiba wrapped his arm around his and lead him into the pub.

The dim lights of the pub disoriented Jounouchi for a few short moments. He was glad there was still Kaiba holding him.

Kaiba led him to a table right at the front of the pub, facing a stage.

It was then Jounouchi realized his mistake. It was not only a gay bar; it was a pole-dancing strip-tease gay bar. There were two poles on the low stage and already, two half-naked males were on stage, throwing their clothes off.

Gladly, the sophisticated pub wasn't the rowdy, wild type with men crowding around the stage wolf-whistling and crooning.

Jounouchi glanced around the pub; observing the four couples in the booth beside them. The couples were huddled together, talking in low whispers and some watching the strip-tease on stage.

All were obviously male.

He felt Kaiba press him down and he landed comfortable on the couch, the stage just before his face. He kept his eyes on the table, not sure of where else to look.

Nonetheless, after a while, Jounouchi did relax. He was acting like he had never been to a strip-tease bar before, which he did. But the problem was, he couldn't' actually remember what happened much during the last time he went to a strip tease-bar. The previous time had been when Mokuba had turned twenty.

On the night of the young Kaiba's coming-of-age, the guy had convinced Jounouchi, Yugi, Bakura and the others to bring the young adult to a strip- tease bar for the first time. The night had been a wild roller-coaster ride for him. He ended up so drunk he couldn't remember half of what happened.

Moreover, strip-teasing watching was not a healthy habit to begin with. But since he was here, Jounouchi finally figured that he might as well enjoy it. He allowed his eyes to linger on the couple dancing on stage.

* * *

  
Kaiba glanced around the pub, frowning.

Where was the guy?

A mop of white hair reflecting the pub's orange light caught his eyes.

Jounouchi perked up as Kaiba stood up abruptly.

"Just order ice water for me." Kaiba instructed as he left the table.

Jounouchi was glaring at him irately.

"I'll be back in a moment. Some business to settle" Kaiba promised, squeezing Jounouchi on a shoulder.

Jounouchi sighed and turned back to the show on stage.

Kaiba maneuvered his way through the dim pub to reach a table at an inconspicuous corner of the room.

"Evening, Seto." The white-haired male sitting there greeted as he pulled a chair out for Kaiba. "I see you're winning the game."

Kaiba scowled at the use of his first name.

"What do you want, Bakura?"

Bakura smirked.

"Ryou, please. Nothing much, just proof of Jou's love with you."

"That is none of your business." Kaiba snapped, folding his arms as he leaned back on to his chair. He glanced over back to where Jounouchi was sitting near the stage. His lover was staring boringly at the dancers.

"It is my business. Remember our game, Kaiba?"

"Yes."

"Here's the second part of it-"

Kaiba felt himself flaring up instantly, "You never mentioned anything about a second-"

"Let me finish, Seto." Bakura interrupted. "Hiroto is almost over with Jou. But I just need that one last element to make him give up on Jou."

Kaiba snorted. "So it was you who couldn't keep your end of the game and needed my help."

"I admit so. There's still a tiny tinge of love that Hiroto holds for Jou." Bakura confessed freely, stressing on the word 'tiny'.

Kaiba couldn't contain his curiosity. "Why are you doing so much for Honda - swallowing your pride to ask for help just to get him to love you?"

Bakura frowned and for a moment, looked like he wasn't about to answer the question. Nevertheless, a glare from Kaiba forced him into relenting.

"Hiroto... is the first guy I truly love... He's different from all the other guys I had before him... Sometimes, what he does or says... is... hurting... " The white-haired male paused and glanced away. "But when it all comes down to it, I just can't stop myself from loving him... I don't want to lose him...I guess that's what love is all about."

Kaiba listened to him quietly. In a way, Bakura and him were similar. They were strongly possessive of their loved ones.

Bakura didn't want to lose Honda and neither did he want to lose Jounouchi, ever.

Bakura turned back to him, composed himself and asked wryly. "Have the two of you gone to bed?"

Kaiba managed to keep his temper in check and replied calmly. "No."

"Mph, of course not. But just as I expected, you are pretty open-minded considering you are rather willing to share your bed activity news with me." Bakura added.

"Stop the nonsense. What do you need from me?" Kaiba snapped impatiently.

"I need you." Bakura smirked and continued nonchalantly. "Hiroto is coming in a few moments. I want him to see Jou turned on by you."

"Turned... on?" Kaiba hesitated.

"Yes. And I've already decided on the method. It's a challenge for you, Seto."

Kaiba counted to ten silently before answering. He could play the challenge. It was apparent that the challenge was something Bakura came up with to curb Honda's love for Jou, something that required intimacy on Kaiba's part to turn Jou on.

He smirked.

He could live with that.

"What challenge?" He asked, trying to be as nonchalant about it as possible.

"Strip-tease, Seto. I need you to strip-tease, for Jou."

* * *

  
Kisara laid out all her drawing materials on the kitchen table and sat doodling before the table. This homework was more difficult than she had thought and she really wished to just put it away and continue playing Duel Monster Adventures with her uncle. It was so tempting, especially with the music of the game coming from the television.

"Uncle Mokuba, can't I leave it till tomorrow?" She begged, swinging her legs impatiently beneath her chair. She simply had no endurance to sit there, draw and paint. It was such a waste of time! She had completely no idea how Seth and Jono enjoyed art and craft lessons.

"No." Came the reply from behind the couch, almost as stern as her daddy's, "What is your art homework about? I can help you with it if you want."

"It's okay" Kisara sighed, her hopes of playing through the night utterly dashed, "We just need to draw our family. I can do it myself."

"Should I get a photo of your daddy for you?"

Kisara frowned, "Actually, we are supposed to draw our parents when they were younger. Do you have any pictures of daddy back in school, Uncle Mokuba?"

"Did you check the photo albums in the cupboard?"

"Yep, but there are no photos of Daddy in school."

Mokuba grinned "Bet you didn't check his school annual magazines."

Kisara raised a brow, "What's that?"

Her uncle patiently explained, "At the end of each school year, some schools issue annual school magazines. You'll be able to find your daddy's photos in there."

"Really!" Kisara grinned. It would be fun to see daddy in school uniform!

She watched as Uncle Mokuba raced up the steps, most probably to the attic, before returning with a very dusty pile of books.

"These are you daddy's high school annual magazines. He studied in Domino High School." Mokuba explained as he dusted the three year books and passed one to Kisara, "That book should be on his first year. Check out the class photos behind."

Kisara flipped the book to the last few pages.

"Uncle Mokuba, Uncle Jounouchi is in the same school as daddy?" Kisara exclaimed at the sight of the familiar mob of golden brown hair.

"Yup. And see the guy standing in front of Jounouchi, that's Yugi."

Kisara's eyes widen as she recognized the hobbit among the tall, lofty students.

"And there's also Anzu and Honda in their class too." Mokuba piped, "And your daddy was also in the same class."

Kisara studied the photo quickly, hoping to catch a glimpse of her daddy's familiar brown hair. "He's not in the photo!"

Mokuba took the photo over and examined it, "There was a time during his first year when he didn't go to school...never mind, let's check the second year book."

Kisara took the book happily and turned to the last few pages. The very prominent sharp glare of her daddy sent her into a fit of laughter immediately, "That's daddy?"

"Yeah." Mokuba grinned, picking up the last book. "He scowled and glared a lot."

"Was he good friends with Uncle Jounouchi and Uncle Yugi in high school?"

"Not exactly. They were opponents. You daddy dueled a lot, Yugi and Jounouchi were his archenemies. "

"Uncle Bakura and uncle Otogi are also in their same class!" Kisara noted, "Why weren't they in the previous book?"

"From what I heard, they transferred to Domino High later." The photo on the last annual magazine caught his eye and he started off laughing, "Kisara, you got to look at this!"

The graduate photo, unlike the former two, was an informal photo where all the students were relaxing and fooling around before the camera. And at a corner of the photo, stood a very shocked and bewildered Kaiba staring at Jounouchi who was pulling away, a playful grin on his face which was barely millimeters away from Kaiba's. And most of the class was staring at them, some laughing, and some gawking.

And at the bottom of the photo, a small caption read: Winner of the dare to kiss Seto Kaiba – Katsuya Jounouchi!

Kisara grinned. She knew exactly what to draw now.

* * *

  
Jounouchi tapped at his glass of Perrier absently. Kaiba had been gone for almost twenty minutes and the show on stage was getting boring with the moves all the same.

He had seen Kaiba shift to a table at a corner of the pub earlier, talking to someone. But whoever Kaiba was speaking to remained a mystery to him for Kaiba had blocked the person from his view.

Then, when he had next turned to check on his boyfriend, Kaiba was gone, together with the person he had been speaking to. The table was completely empty, leaving him clueless. But if Kaiba promised he could come back, Jounouchi supposed he would.

He was almost about to doze off when-

"Jou!"

Jounouchi spun around in his seat to see his very surprised buddy standing behind him.

"Honda!" It was an equally surprising shock for him.

Honda quickly took the seat opposite him which was originally Kaiba's.

"What are you doing here?" Jounouchi sputtered.

Honda shrugged. "No idea. Bakura asked me to meet him here tonight at ten- thirty but I don't think he's here yet. Didn't see him around. What are you doing here?"

Jounouchi gulped.

He wasn't about to tell his friends that he was with Kaiba yet.

But then again, didn't Bakura and Honda already seem to know half of their relationship...

"I thought you swore off strip-tease clubs since Mokuba's twentieth birthday." Honda joked, not noticing his discomfort.

"Yeah... sort of..." Jounouchi mumbled.

While a waiter came up to take Honda's order, Jounouchi silently cursed fate for fooling with him. Why of all people did he have to meet Honda here? Honda - his best buddy, who confessed his love to him, and was obviously still interested in him.

"Hey, Jou." Honda called out softly after the waiter left.

"Yeah?"

"I just want to apologize for what happened back at Iced Fever during the Night Out." Honda said, looking really apologetic.

"No sweat." Jounouchi muttered under his breath.

"But, is there really no chance for-"

Jounouchi cut him off before Honda could persist.

"Not a chance, buddy." It was best to tell Honda once and for all.

"Appreciate who you have, buddy. You still have Bakura. Don't lose him. He's the guy for you." Jounouchi added.

Honda looked really happy - no. He looked like he could let a truck bull- doze him.

Jounouchi started to stir his cup of Perrier with a straw absently.

"Besides, I'm already with-"

Someone on the stage caught his eye.

A new song had started, along with it came a tall, pale brunette.

Jounouchi almost knocked his Perrier over.

"Seto..." Jounouchi choked. That man could burn to cinders and he would still recognize him.

His eyes traveled down Kaiba's body.

His boyfriend was currently dressed in a loose black silky shirt with the top two buttons unfastened, the collar pulled up to compliment his long, slender neck. The shirt was tucked in loosely at the waist into a pair of neatly-pressed, black tight trousers which fitted him perfectly, with a leather belt around his waist.

Jounouchi swallowed hard, watching the male start on the pole cautiously, as if shy, but daring to try. A few moments of hesitance, and then the Kaiba appeared to relax and start swinging to the music.

What was Kaiba doing!

"Jou?" Honda asked, seemingly not to realize what was so attracting Jounouchi.

He choose to ignore Honda but to keep his eyes intend on the stage.

Kaiba had wrapped himself around the pole, and was now running his hands over his naked chest seductively. His hands were moving down along with the rhythm to the lower half of his shirt. A few long fingers grasped the buttons of the black silk shirt along and started unfastening the shiny ebony buttons slowly, exposing the flawless white skin beneath.

Jounouchi's heartbeat increased with every beat.

Kaiba's lean chest illuminated in the dim, yet dazzling light, the pale hands touching himself cautiously.

Jounouchi was utterly torn between watching the hands and the hips, which had just begun to start an erotic dance of their own.

Kaiba's gaze swept across the room, lingering on him for a few moments before long lashes closed down on the blue eyes as if savoring the last drops of an ice cream.

Jounouchi choked and felt all the blood gush up to his face as Kaiba ran a tongue out and glazed over the smirking lips. And then the tongue was on the pole, licking the long cool metal as though claiming it.

A hand trailed over his flat stomach and started edging dangerously downwards.

Jounouchi forgot to breathe.

"Jou?" Honda repeated, but Jounouchi was too concentrated to hear it, his eyes were stuck on Kaiba's hands which was now trailing down to his inner thigh, and then moving up higher. The long delicate fingers started working on the belt skillfully and the leather belt was strewn on the stage in moments.

The pants button came undone next and the fly unzipped perilously down, revealing just enough pale skin beneath the toned stomach. Jounouchi's mind screamed in horror and unconscious ecstasy at the realization that Kaiba was not wearing any undergarments beneath.

Then Kaiba went down to his knees and started rubbing, slowly and sensually against the pole, as if it was a lover instead of a cold piece of metal.

Jounouchi's eyes were almost tearing from not blinking.

Kaiba's eyes were in his direction as a trail of kissed ran down the pole, but Jounouchi had no doubt that the brunette was watching him somehow, trying to stir a reaction from him...and succeeding in doing it. A painful arousal was just starting to make itself known. His pants were suddenly getting tighter.

Damn Kaiba, what the hell did he think he was doing?! Jounouchi shifted his stance away from Honda so that the fact of Kaiba's effect on him would not be so obvious.

Too late.

Honda was staring at his slacks in unhidden horror and dismay.

Jounouchi took a deep breathe and without another word, took off to the washroom.

* * *

  
If eyes could kill, Kaiba was sure he would be cinders by now from Honda's last five minutes of glaring. He was now propped comfortably in the seat where he had left Jounouchi earlier. His puppy should be back any time soon from the washroom. A triumphant smirk almost spilled his lips as he watched a cheerful, accomplished Bakura comfort his fuming adversary.

Kaiba had all his reasons to be happy. He had won Bakura's challenge and he had the puppy all to himself now. True. All these had been done by some small sacrifices – the painful experience on the cruise, the embarrassing strip-tease just now, but he was still a winner. And watching Honda grimace with defeat was rather enjoyable, if not entertaining.

He watched his flustered puppy stumble out of the washroom and head back to him. It was obvious that Jounouchi was avoiding his eyes at all costs. Kaiba smirked. If a strip-tease could already have such effects, his moves in bed would undoubtedly drive the puppy crazy.

"Bakura." Jounouchi greeted nervously.

"Hi Jou. I'm surprised to see you here." Bakura smiled innocently. "Didn't expect you to come to such places. Did Kaiba force you here?"

Kaiba snorted. Liar with a choir boy's face.

His puppy settled down between him and Bakura, obviously uncomfortable around Honda.

"Kaiba said he had something to settle here." Jounouchi replied quietly.

Bakura took a sip, and then commented causally, "I almost thought Kaiba and you were here on a date."

Honda looked absolutely crushed, his eyes intended on Jounouchi for an answer he was frightened of receiving.

Bakura looked so innocent Kaiba almost laughed.

"We are dating." Kaiba answered for his puppy. Without warning, he grabbed Jounouchi by the waist and dragged the surprised blond onto his lap. Sticking out a wet tongue, he lapped at Jounouchi's neck and whispered, "The bar dance was meant for you."

The stunned and defeated look on Honda was almost enough to make Kaiba do the strip dance again. He smirked and stood up, pulling Jounouchi along with him.

"I'm done with my business, good night and good bye." He eyed Bakura, who returned a slight nod before latching both arms on to a distraught Honda.

* * *

  
Kaiba led Jounouchi back to his car.

Neither of them spoke a word. The uncomfortable silence between them lasted until the car cruised onto the highway.

"You did that to show off to Bakura, didn't you?" Jounouchi indicted quietly.

"I did that to crush all of Honda's desire for you." Kaiba retorted. "I'm not risking our relationship with Honda around. From what I understand, I don't exactly have a history with you, unlike Honda."

"I would never like him, Kaiba."

"Seto." Kaiba corrected impatiently.

"Are you jealous?" Jounouchi asked abruptly.

Kaiba frowned, unwilling to answer the question.

"I take that as a yes." Jounouchi teased.

Kaiba returned a smirk, "Well well, not as if the puppy was not enjoying my performance on the stage. If you admit that you liked it, I could do a private show just for you in your bedroom."

Jounouchi's face instantly turned beet red. "Stop taking about it, Seto or I'll really need a cold shower."

That sounded way too nice to give up. Kaiba decided he would persist and give Jounouchi a real surprise. He was no green soldier at games of sex and lust. He was definitely not a loose man by nature, but, he WAS a man - one with his own share of wild nights and coy conquest at times.

He drummed his fingers along the steering wheel, pondering on his actions that would follow soon. He had never done it before, especially not while driving, but heck, the results should be good.

Reaching a hand over, he rested it on Jounouchi's lap, smirking as he earned a little slap on the back of his hand by his shocked puppy. Kaiba refused to remove his hands. Instead he trailed his fingers down to his puppy's lower inner thigh and started massaging gently

Groping, to Kaiba, was a whole new study altogether. He had loathed it previously and typically labelled it remotely related to behaviour of the octopi but now the idea was simply genius. Jounouchi seemed to be getting more aroused than he had expected and he was barely even near the restricted area.

"Sensitive puppy..." Kaiba teased as he started moving his hand higher up.

"Seto." A growl from his puppy was barely enough a warning to make him remove his hands.

He continued his teasing for a few moments before Jounouchi grabbed his hand and firmly removed it.

"Enjoyed that?" Kaiba smirked.

When his puppy failed to give a reply, he turned to find his puppy, eyes closed, breathing slowly, trying to relax.

Well, maybe he did go a little too far.

"Katsuya, are you aright?" He reached a hand over to pat Jounouchi on the shoulder, hoping to help his puppy loosen up, but just one touch was enough to send ripples of shudder through the blonde's body instantly.

"Damn you, Seto." Jounouchi shot back, his face flushed, "I need a shower, now."

That sounded more like an order and not a request.

"We'll go over to my house." Kaiba suggested.

"No, Kisara's there."

"She should be in bed by now."

"Somewhere else." Jounouchi growled irately.

Jounouchi's demand sounded serious enough for Kaiba to know Jounouchi meant it.

He debated on going to a hotel. But that would undoubtedly summon the attention of the media- which was undesirable.

It wasn't a big issue to publicize his bisexuality, he could open a press conference any day. Kaiba Corp was well-established enough to continue prospering even with the news. It was rather Kisara, his puppy and the twins that stopped him from doing it. Kaiba had grown up under public eyes, he could live with criticisms and media attention, but Kisara, Katsuya, Jono and Seth couldn't. It was liable they would crumble under the stress.

In any case, love motels were definitely out.

He turned his attention back on to the road and caught sight of an upcoming exit on the highway. It was almost eleven, and as far as he knew, most employees at Kaiba Corp should have already gone home, especially since there had been no special projects to hurry recently. He swerved to the exit and started down the road to Kaiba Corp.

Within minutes, the Hyundai Matrix was in the basement car park, in its typical spot.

Then Kaiba led Jounouchi up to his private office at the top level of the building.

"The bathroom is just behind the partition." Kaiba instructed.

"You keep a bathroom in your office?"

"I used to stay here for days."

"Towel?"

"There should be some inside the bathroom closet."

Jounouchi nodded and headed for the bathroom hastily, stopping only at a locker cupboard to remove his cell phone and wallet before disappearing behind the door.

Kaiba turned and sat back at his large oak table and sifted through the plans of an upcoming event, but his mind was barely on the papers as the sound of water showering onto the floor in the bathroom drummed ceaselessly. Jounouchi had no idea how much concentration he needed to stop himself from going over and pouncing onto the showering blonde.

He studied the papers.

"Self-control." Kaiba mumbled to himself as he tried to concentrate on the words.

The words were nonsensical to him. The only thought on his mind was that he hadn't exactly promised his puppy that he wouldn't touch him

His eyes traced the words on the paper and trailed to the Small Blue Eyes White Dragons imprint at the bottom of the paper – a trademark of Kaiba Corp. Absently, he picked up a black pen and started darkening the dragon before grasping his bizarre act. He shook his head and picked up a magazine on the economy.

He lasted six minutes before realizing in slight annoyance that he had not read a word or turned a page. Tossing the magazine aside, he bolted for the bathroom door. To hell with the resolution. Nothing was going to come between him and his puppy –

Except the locked door of the bathroom.

He twisted the knob irately, at the same time making sure that Jounouchi could not hear his fuss on the doorknob over the water.

The door was locked. Tight.

Kaiba had seen to it while building the bathroom that the door would be locked up tight to prevent any spying incidents as well as to make the bathroom into a hide-out during emergencies.

Sighing in defeat, the brunette turned back to his table, but not before his eyes fell on his puppy's wallet and cell phone on the locker cupboard.

* * *

  
The cold water helped Jounouchi relax quickly, which he was glad. He didn't want to resort to touching himself, especially when he wasn't in his own house bathroom.

He closed his eyes and lingered under the cold water for a few more minutes, allowing his tense physique to cool down - when he thought he heard the door knob rattle.

His eyes flew open and he listened.

Jounouchi was positive that he heard the doorknob rattle again, as if someone was trying to get in. And he was sure there was only one particular someone out there who would want to get in - Kaiba.

As much as he was flattered to have someone after him to such extends, the act was still kind of unnerving. But nonetheless, it comforted Jounouchi that he was not the only one who was affected after such a wild night.

He toweled himself dry with Kaiba's big roughened towel. Cinnamon. Everything of Kaiba smelt of Cinnamon. Even Kisara always smelt faintly of Cinnamon and his twins smelt of Cinnamon everyday after they came home from school. He had no doubt that soon he would be smelling of Cinnamon too. Kaiba probably marked all his possessions with Cinnamon.

He dried his hair one last time and pulled on his clothes. The noise outside the bathroom had stopped for the moment, but Jounouchi suspected it probably meant that Kaiba had left momentarily to get a chain-saw. Whatever the case, his best guard was to dress himself.

Humming softly, his eyes fell on a black bottle by the vanity drawer. Familiar.

Yup, he had seen that hair gel on the cruise in Kaiba's cabin bathroom. Kaiba must like the brand very much.

Picking the bottle up, Jounouchi wondered abruptly if the gel would smell of Cinnamon too. He put it to his nose. Nope, smelt more like – fragrant oil?

Flicking the cap open, he tilted the bottle and allowed the contents to flow out.

Smooth, transparent oil.

Gel didn't look like that. Gels were usually sticky and gooey, like glue.

Then what was this thing here? Cold, oily...lubricant...

Lubricant...

Jounouchi choked and dropped the bottle as the realization hit in.

What the heck?!

He turned the tap on and scrubbed off all the liquid. To think he almost considered applying THAT onto his hair. He would never use another hair gel without thinking of Kaiba and his lubricant again!

And why the hell did Kaiba have lubricant in his office bathroom at all? As much as Jounouchi was tempted to ask, it seemed too likely the question might lead to a practical answer on the spot.

He positioned the bottle back to where it had been, wiped his hands clean and stumbled out the bathroom. The cool air-con gave him a slight tingling feeling on the skin.

"Seto, what are you doing?" He frowned, noticing that Kaiba was sitting at his office table calmly, rummaging through his wallet.

"Cleaning out the rubbish." Kaiba answered without looking up, eyes intend on the wallet, "You have a habit of keeping receipts, Katsuya."

"Let me guess, you checked my cell phone phonebook and messages too."

"Mph. I would be more than happy to delete off all the unfamiliar names in the phonebook."

Jounouchi couldn't help but smirk, "Possessive, aren't you?"

Kaiba looked up and met his eyes momentarily before returning to a piece of paper in his hand. "I don't share."

"Undoubtedly."

No reply came, and Jounouchi strolled over to see the object of Kaiba's attention. His face flushed at the sight of the cut out piece of high school photo.

"I'm flattered." Kaiba smiled, "You actually keep this photo in your wallet, though I believe I wasn't very happy when the photo was taken."

Jounouchi rolled his eyes, "Before your ego gets boosted higher than the moon, that photo did not exit in my wallet until yesterday when I was searching for old photos for Seth and Jono's homework."

"You were remarkably annoying back then in high school." Kaiba remarked absently. Jounouchi's shrugged and studied the photo with Kaiba. It was amazing how he and Kaiba had gotten together, it was almost a miracle.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Jounouchi raised a brow, "You mean in the photo?"

Kaiba nodded numbly.

"You never knew?" Jounouchi clapped a hand over his mouth, stifling the laughter that was threatening to burst, "It was a dare. Didn't you read the annual year book?"

"I never touch that stuff but I knew it had to be something like that. I just want a confirmation. So what did you win in the end?"

"A lunch at Burger World."

"You kissed me for a lunch?!" Kaiba hissed.

"Not only that, we were betting whether your lips would be soft or cold like ice." Jounouchi grinned.

"And?" Kaiba pressed.

Jounouchi frowned, struggling to remember, "It was too quick. It was just a light peck, remember? In the end I think I just told them that your lips were cold and hard."

Jounouchi thought he saw Kaiba frown, and then he felt himself pulled down onto Kaiba lap. The table edged into his back painfully.

"Er...Kaiba."

Kaiba choose to ignore his pleas that his position was really uncomfortable. "So, how do you find my lips now?"

"Kaiba, my back is breaking."

"Seto." Kaiba growled at his ear, "Are my lips soft, Katsuya?"

* * *

  
Jounouchi was still not answering but choosing to stare off into the moonless darkness behind the glass window in behind Kaiba.

Kaiba took the opportunity to lean down towards the desk, pressing his favored puppy down beneath him. The stack of plans tumbled onto the floor and the perfectionist in Kaiba groaned silently.

"Seto..." Jounouchi begun but Kaiba pressed a finger down on his lips and silenced the puppy before claiming a kiss.

Jounouchi always tasted like vanilla. Lightly flavored with a gentle sweetness.

This kiss felt so different from the one in the pool. This was more soft and sensual than their encounter in the water which had been primitive and almost aggressive – like two battling swordfishes.

Jounouchi's hands wrapped around his shoulders and Kaiba took it as an indication to go on. He bent low and ran his lips down the blonde's collarbone, then up to the ear before the kiss resumed. His back stiffened as Jounouchi's fingertips started tracing down his back, the nails mark through his blue silk.

Proceeding to the nape of his puppy's neck, he nibbled gently, allowing the fantasies which he had built during the pole-dancing to come to life. The warmth emitting from Jounouchi felt so good.

"Seto," Jounouchi's breath came in ragged gasps by his ear, "I'm going to have to need another bath."

Frowning a little grudgingly, Kaiba planted a last kiss on his puppy, mouth to mouth, before pulling away.

Kissing was all Jounouchi and he himself would allow tonight. He sat down on the desk beside Jounouchi, who sat up to join him.

In silence, they watched the glorious night view of Domino City from the glass panels of Kaiba's office. Kaiba grabbed Jounouchi's hand and pushed his fingers between the blondes', working them in his palm like a cat's claw in carpet.

"What got into us?" Jounouchi finally spoke.

"Must be the moon."

"There's no moon tonight."

"Must be the water then. Water makes me do crazy things."

Jounouchi gave a light chuckle. Kaiba had no doubt that the both of them were thinking about their previous kissing episodes – which surprisingly, were all somewhere near water or after Jounouchi bathed.

"We are really a messy pair."

Kaiba looked down at the papers on the floor, "Doesn't matter, I'll clean them up tomorrow."

Jounouchi nodded, eyes glazed, and Kaiba knew that the puppy was sleepy already. Not that he blamed him, Jounouchi worked as a veterinarian and that no doubt called for a whole lot of concentration and stress. Besides, taking care of a disastrous pair would be much more a handful than one.

"Let's go, I'll drive you home."

Jounouchi nodded, and the two strolled down to Kaiba's car again.

* * *

  
Kaiba was almost distressed when the car pulled into the familiar street leading to Jounouchi's home.

"I'll walk back from here."

Kaiba nodded, "I'll see you on Monday morning then."

"Yeah..." Jounouchi gave a sleepy smile, "The date was great."

"We'll have more of it."

"I'll be happy to, but I'm never going to a gay bar again."

"We won't." Kaiba promised, and then continued to tease. "We'll do it in the bedroom."

"No we won't." Jounouchi immediately disagreed as he undid his seat belt.

"Mn." Kaiba grunted and leaned over to give Jounouchi a reluctant goodbye peck on the lips.

"Sweet dreams, Katsuya." He whispered softly as he pulled away from his lover.

"Night, Seto." Jounouchi yawned as he opened the door and stepped out.

Kaiba nodded slowly as Jounouchi slammed the door close.

Then the same door suddenly swung opened and a very awaken Jounouchi pounced in onto him and kissed him feverishly.

Jounouchi wrapped his arms around Kaiba's neck. Their tongues licked and sucked at each other dominatingly, sweat breaking out in the warm night.

Finally, Jounouchi pulled away and grinned mindlessly at Kaiba.

"Love you, Seto." Jounouchi whispered into his ear.

The blonde planted a last kiss on his lips and then scampered out of the car, leaving Kaiba gaping at his shadows.

Moments passed...

Kaiba blinked.

Jounouchi had completely disappeared from his view.

_Love you...Seto..._

"Love you too, Katsuya..." Kaiba whispered to the darkness.  
_  
_

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

1) To answer ArrowSphere, yepz, 'The Daddy Trap' came from 'The Parent Trap' which both of us enjoyed very much because it's a movie on twins and how they got their parents back together exchanging identities. But we changed 'parents' to 'daddy' because Seto and Katsuya are not exactly their parents. Nonetheless, we didn't get to throw in the fun parts of the movie but were instead concentrating on the two daddies' relationship.

2) We've never watched pole-dancing, strip-teasing before. Hell, we've never even been to a bar or pub before. So, that's our imagination, hope it's okay.

3) Thank you to all reviewers and supporters! Your reviews are greatly appreciated and very encouraging. Our thanks to TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6 and many more who has yet to leave a name!

4) Tell us if it crossed the line of PG-13... limey...FFN should have NC-16...


	13. Chapter 11: Breaking the News

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 11**  


* * *

  
Jounouchi was dreaming when the phone rang.

In his dream, he had been dueling with Marik and had been just attacked by the fiery God Phoenix, and was about to die. It was amazing how that, even after more than a decade, the horrifying experience could still haunt him. Though the nightmares had slowly subsided into mere recollections, he still wished that he didn't have them and tried to forget them every time he dreamt of it.

But for the dream this morning, Jounouchi had a feeling he wouldn't be forgetting it for a while, probably because he had been so abruptly awaken from it, and also because Kaiba was in it.

In it, Kaiba had been standing a short distance from him while Shizuka and his friends were surrounding him. He was dying. He died... and then suddenly he was watching from a third person's view, and he saw Kaiba turn away. The heartless snob had turned away, took out a phone and had started speaking into it, as if his death meant nothing at all. And while Jounouchi had stared in loath from his third person's view, Kaiba finished the talk and turned to leave – again ignoring Jounouchi and his weeping companions, then the phone rang again - loudly and incessantly.

It was so irritating Jounouchi almost thought he would rise from the dead just to get Kaiba to switch the damned thing off. And he also wanted to yell at Kaiba for being such a cold-blooded snob. But, he was dead, in the dream and –

The phone was still ringing.

"Mn?" Jounouchi's brown sleepy eyes flew open and lingered sluggishly at the light blue ceiling. Cool fresh air together with a few rays of sunlight peeped into his dim room while he tried to register the ringing in his ears.

Oh. So it hadn't been Kaiba's phone which had been ringing. And now that he was awake and thinking straight, he recognized the ringing as his house phone.

He continued lying on his bed, which was currently littered with clothes that he had rejected while attiring for his date the previous night.

A faint smile curled at his lips. It was their third official rendezvous, and he had brought Kaiba to a foot massaging center.

And during the massaging session, Kaiba's expressions were absolutely priceless. The brunette had initially simply closed his eyes and gritted his teeth when the session begun. Half-way thought the session, his fortitude developed into kicking and swearing, and near the end, Jounouchi thought tears were forming on both his boyfriend and the poor masseur's eyes.

To think that the great Seto Kaiba was afraid of foot massage.

Jounouchi himself enjoyed it, the session and particularly how Kaiba had performed. Plus, it had been a very informing experience; he now knew that Kaiba was totally unfit, from the nervous system to the bladder.

And to think that Kaiba went for morning tolerant swims every morning. Jounouchi mused. He suspected that his guy probably drove everywhere he went and never ever took a stroll before. It was a chronic problem of the rich and the famous, too lazy to walk, too rich to stroll.

- And the phone was still ringing. It was starting to annoy him.

Dreamily, he took one bleary glance at his alarm clock. Seven. That was definitely too early to wake.

He snuggled back into the warmth of his pillow and the remnants of his date. A sweet dream of Kaiba was what he needed right now to forget his earlier nightmare. His parents could answer the call. Besides, it was unlikely the call was for him. No one calls him this early.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on thinking of his boyfriend, allowing his secret fantasies to come true only in his imagination and dreams.

The moment lasted only seconds before he felt compelled to open his eyes.

Someone was staring at him.

He opened his eyes slowly and narrowed his vision to a slightly illuminated corner of his bedroom.

Seto?

His boyfriend was walking towards the foot of his bed.

When did that guy come in - And how did he get in anyway?

Oh yeah, he had left the window open last night, but that still didn't make sense.

"Katsuya..."

Kaiba was now just steps away from his bed, with a naughty smirk on the brunette's face.

"Seto. What are you doing in my bedroom?" Jounouchi demanded as he yawned and sat up, stretching himself.

Kaiba smirked, "Giving you what I promised, a private strip-tease session."

"What?"

If his parents were to walk in now, or his twins-

Kaiba was already running his long smooth fingers sensually over his bare pale chest...

-could be dealt with later...

God he looked good.

"Not now, Seto." Jounouchi hissed, moving over to stop the striping man but was stopped abruptly by a tight jerk on his wrists.

He stared down in horror at the reins chained around his wrists to the bedposts.

This was getting crazy.

"Katsuya..." Kaiba was now on the bed, riding on his stomach and pressing him down. A trail of kisses along Jounouchi's collarbone sent shocking quivers down his spine.

For a moment, Jounouchi lost himself in the enjoyment before reality sunk back in. This wasn't right...

He gulped as Kaiba retrieved a black bottle from somewhere.

"Love you, Katsuya." Kaiba whispered at his ear.

Jounouchi blinked.

This was wrong. Kaiba had to be at gunpoint before saying those three words. That meant, this was a -

"Brother!"

Jounouchi's eyes flew open and stared into a pair of dark green eyes.

Slowly, his mind grasped the fact that that the familiar brownish-green eyes belonged to his one and only sister, who was currently glaring at him.

"Shizuka?"

Jounouchi blinked. The room was now in full sunlight. It had to be almost nine in the morning.

His sister folded her arms across her chest patiently, "You have a call. It's from the twins' school. The principal is on the phone."

Principal.

That most definitely spelt trouble.

Jounouchi nodded absently and rubbed his eyes as his senses slowly knocked back, recollecting that his sister was staying overnight for a couple of days until Otogi return from his business trip later in the day.

He shifted uncomfortably in his bed, unwilling to remove himself from the warm comforts of it to answer the call. Twisting and turning on his bed, he suddenly realized in shock that his pants were feeling particularly tight.

Kaiba and the damned dream!

Mildly embarrassed, he pulled the blanket up hastily and pretended to be cuddling it, successfully hiding the dream's repercussion from Shizuka.

"Brother, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Jounouchi replied sheepishly. "Can you tell the principal I'll call him back in a moment?"

Shizuka frowned, "Okay, but are you sure you're alright? You were perspiring and mumbling in your dream."

"I'm alright, really." Jounouchi lied.

"I take your word. Come down for breakfast." Shizuka reminded before leaving his room.

Jounouchi groaned and fell back on his bed. The day was just beginning too nicely.

* * *

  
Kaiba was in the middle of a board meeting when a particular puppy called him on his cell phone. It wasn't common for Jounouchi to call him, especially knowing that he was busy working during most of these hours.

Nonetheless, Jounouchi had to be calling for an important cause.

Only for the puppy, Kaiba decided to call for a coffee break, for once in his lifetime. He really needed one anyway. The meeting was droning on endlessly with his imbecilic employees reporting their failure on the part of their jobs, and he was almost to the point of firing a few of them. The break would clear his head and give those morons a few minutes to come up with a good reason to why they should be detained.

As he left the meeting room, he noted with amusement at the shocked expressions on Mokuba and his employee's faces. It had to be the greatest miracle on Earth to them for him to call for a break. The truth be known, never in his past decade as CEO of Kaiba Corp had he allowed, or even called for a break during meetings, not even for Kisara. But that was also because his little girl always conveniently troubled him at all times but during his meeting times.

Nonetheless, he kept his custom frown on his face as he strolled down to his office. Only when he was back in the safety of his private workplace did he deem it safe to relief his face with a mild smile and answered the phone.

"Morning Seto." His puppy greeted quietly from the end of the line. Kaiba was surprised at the dull tone and was for a second worried that his puppy had fallen sick again. But yesterday night they had just been enjoying themselves during their date – well at least Jounouchi had been enjoying the date, and his puppy could not have been feeling better.

"What's wrong, puppy?" He asked quickly.

Jounouchi summed up in two words. "School. Trouble."

Kaiba frowned. Seth, Jono and Kisara weren't in school as it was a Saturday, so any trouble from school was most likely not a life or death matter.

"What happened?" He asked, patiently as a mother would do to his son.

A frustrated sigh. "The school called up about a couple of art pieces the twins and Kisara drew of us."

"And?"

"It was a picture of us, together."

"Mn..." Kaiba mumbled, unable to determine the point of Jounouchi's concern. If his puppy was worried about the school, he could just pay the school a little visit in the coming week and have a memorable chat with the principal. The new principal was in debt of him in several aspects, and he had no doubt that that the principal had no interest in making those concerns public.

"Katsuya, I know the principal personally. I'll talk to him over the next few days. Nothing is going to happen." Kaiba placated.

"I thought so, but that's not what I'm concerned about."

"There's more?" Kaiba frowned, though he had in a way expected it. There had to be something else more worrying than school matters that his puppy was concerned about to call him during his work hours.

"Yeah, Shizuka was there with me in the principal office..."

"Uh huh?" Kaiba asked, frowning even harder as one glance at his office clock told him his coffee break was almost over.

"And she saw the pictures of us together."

Mph. Now this was something he definitely had not anticipated.

"She's bound to find out sooner or later." He answered, choosing his words carefully. "Just that I didn't expect it to be so soon."

Someone knocked on his office door.

"Where are you now?" Kaiba asked quickly.

The door swung opened and Mokuba popped his head in.

"Meeting!" Mokuba mouthed.

"In my vet. The twins and Shizuka are in the pet shop cleaning up the place." Jounouchi answered on the phone.

"I'm in the middle of a board meeting now. I'll call you back later. Just do what you can do now." Kaiba lowered his voice.

An almost inaudible sigh could be heard from the other end.

"Fine. Call back soon. I'm thinking about just telling Shizuka about us."

"Do what you think you should. I'll call back after the meeting." Kaiba sighed as he heard the click as a signal that that Jounouchi had hung up.

Pocketing his phone, he looked up to see Mokuba grinning at him from the door.

"What?" Kaiba demanded as he stepped towards his younger brother.

"I bet it's your girlfriend." Mokuba teased as the brothers walked down the empty corridor to the meeting room.

"No." Kaiba answered shortly, choosing not to tell his brother that he had been so close to the truth.

"Don't lie!" Mokuba immediately shot back. "It was the same person from the date three weeks ago, wasn't it?"

Kaiba chose to remain silent this time.

"I'll make you tell me, sooner or later." Mokuba taunted, pushing the meeting room door open.

Kaiba scoffed and took his place at the table.

"The meeting shall now proceed."

* * *

  
Jounouchi found himself chewing anxiously on a pen cap as he sat behind the pet shop counter, watching Shizuka clean the last of the pets' cages. His sister's dramatic movements and a scowl on her customary smiling face were obvious to Jounouchi that she was mad, or at least, very upset.

He sighed, letting Shizuka go along to the school was a very big mistake. But Shizuka had insisted going along to see her two nephews' school and he had seen no harm in letting her go.

The new principal, a balding middle-aged man who looked like he was in his mid-life crisis, Mr. Yanagi, had greeted them not so happily with a few art pieces- Seth and Jono's art pieces.

The topic, the principal had explained to them, was Family.

His twins both drew what they were required. They drew all four of their Grandparents, Shizuka, Otogi, and him. It was a very wholesome picture in Jounouchi's view - crayon drawn pictures of stick people, all smiling and showing their teeth, except Jounouchi barely recognized his own straw figure in the picture.

An almost perfect picture, except there were two other figures in the family picture too.

It didn't take a second for Jounouchi to realize who the other two were, Kaiba in his trench coat and Kisara with her long pale hair. Kaiba was holding hands with him and to add on, big red hearts was drawn between the two figures. And the two doodles that were supposedly him and Kaiba were obviously male. Because Seth and Jono had made it a very distinguishing point that the girls in their pictures wore very big and long dresses.

Jounouchi was utterly thunderstruck. And Shizuka was starring at him in sheer horror. The twins, sitting in a couch behind them watched on innocently.

The principal had started out pretty frosty.

"Children are easily affected by such 'abnormal' behaviors. The school would appreciate it greatly if supervise your children's work and avoid intimate conduct with your ...lover in the picture that may in some ways influence your children's ethical. "

Jounouchi was lectured speechless. And he really didn't know what to say, especially with a traumatized Shizuka sitting beside him.

And then his sister had hastily excused herself to visit the bathroom while Seth and Jono sat behind quietly, not quite sure what was going on in front.

The principal immediately took the opportunity to show him another picture.

"This is an art piece of anther student from three weeks ago. From what the teachers have observed, this student has a very close friendship with your twins, Mr. Jounouchi. We are still considering whether to contact the parent of this student."

The picture was obviously Kisara's – the little girl always drew a small Blue Eyes White Dragon at the bottom of each page of her homework. In fact, Jono and Seth had been influenced into drawing Red Eyes and Blues Eyes on their homework too.

But the picture, so beautifully and artfully drawn by the little girl... shocked him almost out of his skin.

Jounouchi would have to be blind not to recognize it. Kisara had drawn a picture of their high school third year photo - the same picture that he kept in his wallet.

Now to think of it, he couldn't and didn't want to remember how he managed to convince the principal that the kids would not do it again. And afterwards, he had fled the school with Seth, Jono and a Shizuka who was shocked beyond words.

Sighing, Jounouchi turned his thought back into reality.

The twins were busying themselves with the cleaning of a puppy in the grooming room at the back of the premises. Shizuka had picked up Joey and was rubbing the fur ball on the stomach - and she still didn't look very happy, if not, very angry.

Damn, Shizuka would condemn him for life if he didn't clarify the whole matter, immediately.

"Shizuka?" Jounouchi called out hesitantly.

"Mn?" His sister grunted fumingly. The last time Shizuka had sounded like this was when he had beat up Ryuji for staying overnight in Shizuka's bedroom for the first time, behind his back. It took weeks before Shizuka finally spoke to him again.

Jounouchi drew in a breath, "Shizuka, I need to talk to you about ...my relationship with the guy."

"Who is he?"

Oh.

So Shizuka didn't recognize Kaiba from the picture. Not that it was obvious; Seth and Jono's pictures were rather childish and nobody could probably guess that it was Kaiba. Jounouchi had no doubt that the principal didn't know it was Kaiba until he saw Kisara's picture.

"It's bizarre." Jounouchi informed cautiously, "You are going to have a hard time believing it."

Shizuka frowned.

Jounouchi almost stopped breathing.

There was a moment of silence between the siblings before Shizuka finally spoke.

"Brother, I just want you to be happy. I'm stunned that you like men. But if you're sure you like him. I'll have to accept it."

Shizuka sounded more like she would have to tolerate it.

Jounouchi sighed. "You may want to sit down first."

"Just tell me who it is, brother." Shizuka implored almost impatiently, "Even if he is older than you or maybe even divorced and have kids. As long as he loves you, is willing to take care of Seth and Jono, and you're happy with him. I'm all support."

"Well," Jounouchi mumbled, "He is slightly older than me by a few months. Seth and Jono like him. We went to the same High school although during that time we were not so close..."

Shizuka's face paled, "Please don't tell me it's Honda..."

Jounouchi almost choked, "No, of course not! I'll never like Honda, as in, as a lover. It's someone else...are you sure you don't want to sit down?"

"Brother, you are killing me with the suspense, just who is he?" Shizuka pressed.

Well, here goes.

"It's Kaiba..." Jounouchi said, his voice lowered to a whisper.

Shizuka was starring at him open-mouthed.

"Mokuba?"

"NO! OF COURSE-" Jounouchi grimaced.

"STUPID MUTT!"

A colorful parrot screeched from its corner of the room.

Another moment of awkward silence.

"Brother?" Shizuka prompted nervously as the horror of comprehension hit her hard.

Jounouchi sighed, "He used to call me that."

Shizuka's eyes widened, "...Seto Kaiba?"

Jounouchi nodded solemnly.

* * *

  
Thwack.

Thud.

Thwack

Thud.

Kaiba swung his racket back rhythmically and hit the tennis ball across the court routinely, his mind changing its focus with every contact the ball made. Ball coming from the left, he stepped back and swung his racket.

Thwack.

The ball was cruising over the net. He took the opportunity to wipe his forehead with his wrist band. The day was too hot for tennis; he should have suggested going swimming.

Thud

But now, he had to concentrate on the game.

Thwack

Left court.

Thud

Ball coming.

Another swing-

Wizzzzzzz-

The racket missed the ball by a hair, but that was as good as missing it by a mile. The ball whizzed past him and hit the high fences surrounding the court.

"Damn." He mouthed silently. Losing wasn't a subject he was familiar with.

"Another point for Mokuba Kaiba!" Mokuba, with his long dark hair tied up into a long pony-tail, yelled from the other side of the court and without warning, fired a fast ball over the net.

Kaiba made a mad dash for it, and fortunately made it, sending the ball flying back across the court.

"You're not in top form today, brother!" Kaiba grimaced as his younger brother teased and slapped the yellow ball back across the court.

Thwack

His brother was right. He wasn't.

Thud

Concentrate, Seto. You're losing.

Thwack

Kaiba sent the ball back to his brother, while still struggling to concentrate on the game. Tennis was a game he grew up playing, but today he simply couldn't concentrate on the game. His stamina was drying up fast and the sun on his face was straining his eyes. And his feet still hurt from the foot massage yesterday.

Thud

Didn't they always say that foot massaging could sort of unclog your blood veins and make people healthier? He definitely didn't feel healthier now. And yeah, his feet still hurt with every step. He would never let anyone psycho him into going for a foot massaging session again, not even the puppy. It was by far, almost the most painful experience he ever had, just second to when Jounouchi had kicked him.

Thwack

And speaking of the puppy, his mind went back to the events earlier the day.

After the meeting, he had immediately questioned Kisara about the pictures. His little girl had admitted it ever so innocently.

Thud

But just as he had told Jounouchi, he wasn't the least worried about the principal and the family pictures incident. It was something that could be easily settled. Worse comes to worse, they could pretend nothing happened and sue the principal for slander.

Thwack

After all, he was Seto Kaiba, who was rumored and was truthfully once a ruthless, cold-blooded creature, who was completely capable of doing all those.

Thud

But currently, as the ball flew to and fro across the court, there was still a certain worry tagged to his mind.

Thwack.

He had called Jounouchi back as promised, and right away Jounouchi had demanded he tell Mokuba about their relationship. Apparently, Shizuka had inevitably found out about their relationship after the school family picture incident. Now that the puppy had told his sister about them, he wanted Kaiba to tell Mokuba too.

Thud

Shizuka was just as important to Jounouchi as Mokuba was to him, Kaiba understood that. He could also understand that Jounouchi could never turn down anything Shizuka wanted or wished to know. Kaiba didn't mind the fact that Shizuka knew, sooner or later he and Jou were bound to tell them.

Thwack

Nevertheless, this was not exactly what Kaiba had planned. They were still too early in the relationship to involve their families and friends. No doubt Kaiba did not intend to break up with Jounouchi or lose him in any way, but love and relationship worked in mysterious ways. It was difficult to tell how long they would last. Moreover, though Jounouchi had admitted to loving him, it was only for that one time after the strip tease.

Thud

Besides that, their only level of intimacy was a strip-teasing, one failed bedding attempt on the cruise, three low-profiled dates, seven kisses and twice holding hands.

Thwack

Conclusion: their relationship was still on rocky grounds.

Thud

If it had been up to him to decide, he would have Jounouchi and Shizuka come over for dinner some night and break the news slowly to Shizuka and Mokuba over dinner.

THOK-

The yellow tennis ball hit him squarely on the chest, knocking the breath out of him. Kaiba coughed and drew in a few deep breaths to clear the shock. That hurt like hell. The tennis ball could have been a killer golf ball.

He winced as his brother stopped the game and started running towards him.

"Whoa, brother, you alright?"

"Yeah." Kaiba answered, his ribs were hurting like hell. "We'll take a break."

"Sure." Mokuba agreed as the two made their way over to a large umbrella sheltered table at a corner of the court.

Kaiba watched Mokuba carefully as he laid back into his chair. His brother was not the least bothered by the summer heat nor the heated game they had just had, unlike him, who was struggling not to pant and complain about the heat.

He was mildly irritated by his lack of stamina. There was once a time he could beat Mokuba ten times in a row. But recently, leisure and entertainment seemed to have caught up with him. Even his early morning swimming tolerance had been skipped a couple of times. But obviously he was unfit, or he wouldn't' have been writhing in agony during the date last night.

"So, what's up?" Mokuba asked, taking a sip of his orange juice.

"Mn?" Kaiba looked at him quizzically.

"Well." Mokuba put down his drink and clasped his hand together, looking at Kaiba expectantly. "I suppose there's something important you want to tell me considering you suddenly signed leave for the two of us and dragged me all the way to Kaiba Corp Clubhouse to play tennis."

"Uh huh." Kaiba mumbled.

"So?" Mokuba raised an eyebrow. "It's about your girlfriend, right?"

Kaiba sipped his glass of ice water.

"What happened?" Mokuba continued eagerly. "I saw you on the phone with her just now. And you looked kinda worried. What, are you going to have a gunshot marriage or what?"

Kaiba almost spilled his drink. Mokuba's hypothesis was too far from the truth.

"Who is she? Do I know her? When are you going to introduce her to me?" Mokuba pressed on.

Kaiba composed himself and took a deep breathe. It was going to be a complicated matter.

"Actually, you know that person." Kaiba paused, waiting for Mokuba's reaction.

Mokuba's eyes widened.

"I know her?" he questioned and then thought for a few moments. "Rebecca? Couldn't be, she's in USA, besides, she can't be-"

"It's not and will never be Rebecca Hopkins." Kaiba interrupted, quite surprised by himself that he remembered the girl.

"So, who?"

"Katsuya Jounouchi." Kaiba said quietly, starring straight into the space between the two of them.

Mokuba completely froze. If Kaiba's less-than-perfect eyesight allowed him to see miniscule details, he could swear that all the hair on the back of his brother's neck were at full salute.

"Jou..." Mokuba trailed off, apparently still in a state of shock.

"This may come as a shock to you, Mokie." Kaiba continued in a low voice, phrasing his words carefully. "But, I'm currently in a relationship with Katsuya."

"But you..."Mokuba burbled feebly.

"I'm bisexual, Mokie. I should have told you earlier but just as I expected, you don't seem to be taking it too well." Kaiba continued.

"But he..."

"He's new to the world of bisexualism."

"But this is..."

"Absurd, I know. Everything just took place suddenly after I returned to Domino City. It is just as strange to me as it is to you."

Mokuba was starring at him blankly.

The brothers were silent in thoughts for a while.

Finally, Mokuba spoke.

"You're serious about him."

"I suppose so - yes." Kaiba answered.

Mokuba nodded.

"If not, you wouldn't be telling me about your relationship. You never did so in the past. Jou must be very important to you."

"Yes, he is." Kaiba said quietly.

"I really need the day off." Mokuba nodded slowly.

Kaiba looked away.

"Do you blame me? For not telling you earlier?"

Mokuba immediately replied, "Of course not, brother. It's just, you being bisexual is too..."

"It's hard for you to accept."

Mokuba bit down on his lips and nodded.

"You've been my hero for so many years. Even till this day, I marvel and thank you for everything you have done for us, for me and for Kaiba Corp. Even with you being bisexual-" Mokuba mumbled the word cautiously, "You are still my hero. It's a shock to me. I don't deny that I need some time to think and adjust to it..."

Kaiba's heart was hurting inwardly; Mokuba was pained by the news. Of all things in the world, he hated to hurt Mokuba, his only and beloved brother, but there were times he had to do it.

Mokuba smiled weakly.

"It must have been hard on you too. Having to keep the truth from me for so many years."

Kaiba smiled, feeling completely awkward.

"I don't blame you, really. In fact, I'm feeling much better now." Mokuba assured, and then frowned, "Does Kisara know about it?"

"Yes." Kaiba replied, thoughtful. "She's too observant for her age. I suspect she and the twins arranged not so coincidentally for me and Katsuya to meet up on the cruise."

"What made you suddenly decide to tell me the whole thing, and seemingly in such a hurry?" Mokuba asked finally

"Eventually, I'll still have to tell you someday." Kaiba replied quietly. "Today seemed like a good day, Shizuka found out about our relationship, she's bound to tell Otogi, Mai and Anzu about it. And once Anzu know, Yugi is bound to know. Bakura also helped in setting me and Katsuya up, so he and Honda naturally already know. I don't want you to be the last person to be informed."

"Thank you."

Having his brother thanking him was plain weird. Besides, not many people ever used the two words on him.

"Katsuya is announcing it tonight at Yugi's reunion.

Mokuba sighed and looked into his brother's eyes, "I just want you to know, whatever happens, whatever your choices are, I'll always support you."

"Mokie?"

"Mn?"

"Thank you for everything."

Mokuba smiled and patted his brother's hand affectionately.

"Don't thank me. I'm happy for you."

Kaiba checked his watch.

"It's about time to pick up Kisara from her swimming lessons."

"Kay." Mokuba shrugged, seemingly glad to have something distracting his thoughts away from their prior conversation.

In silence, the brothers packed up and headed over to the clubhouse's swimming pool.

* * *

  
The door of the lift opened and Kaiba stepped out to the vaguely familiar corridor. Mai's apartment was the corner unit at the far end of the corridor. Kaiba had memorized his way to the apartment from his last visit to pick up Seth and Jono after the Night Out. He drew in a breath and approached the door quietly, his heart pounding with every step.

Kisara and Mokuba's shoes came in sight. They were strewn at the mat before the closed door in the clutter with many other pairs of shoes. Two pairs of identical shoes scattered carelessly by the door confirmed his qualms that Jounouchi and his two puppies had already reached. And he had no doubt Kisara was playing with them now. She had been so excited to play with the twins she had run up with his brother while he was still parking the car.

Why Kisara, Seth and Jono could become such good friends would be something he would never understand. He himself had not many friends to begin with. He saw no importance in getting them.

That was, probably until today, before another call from Jounouchi.

Just after he had bathed and was relaxing in the lounge of the clubhouse, resting his poor battered feet, Jounouchi had called to inquire about Mokuba's reaction.

"So, Mokuba's fine with it?"

"Yes."

"So, we're officially announcing it tonight at the reunion?" Jounouchi had asked.

"YOU are going to announce it." Kaiba had corrected. "After all, they are your friends, not mine."

Jounouchi had instantly flared up, "Then I might just as well remind you that if we are to be in a relationship, you better make them yours too. "

"Mn."

"Seto, you have less friends then the number of children we have together." Jounouchi insulted. "Is it that difficult just to be more sociable?"

While Kaiba pondered for a come-back, Jounouchi continued quietly, "Besides, if anything happens to me in the long run, at least you would have some people, besides Mokuba, to support you."

"How touching." Kaiba had commented dryly. But he understood why Jounouchi was doing this to him. The idea seemed to be to get him to open up, but in reality, Jounouchi was planning for a long-term relationship.

The conversation had then drifted off to other topics, and hence it was never decided who was to make the announcement.

Now, as Kaiba took off his shoes and knocked at Mai's apartment door, he wondered if Jounouchi had already made the announcement.

The door flew open and the owner of the house greeted him with a less than convincing smile.

The moment Kaiba stepped into the room, he could feel the whole room quiet down instantly. All stares were on him.

Uncomfortable stares and fidgets.

Kaiba couldn't be sure whether Jounouchi had broken the news yet. And he couldn't exactly judge from the awkward expressions there were giving him.

He gave a brief glance across the living room. Bakura and Honda were slouched in a couch at the back of the living room. Upfront, Anzu was carrying baby Marik in her arms with her husband beside her, nervous looks on their faces. Otogi was grinning at him while Shizuka was glaring at him as the couple stood near the kitchen door. And his little puppy was sitting on a loveseat chewing a pizza fretfully.

Kaiba frowned. Every pair of eyes in the room was starring at him expectantly, except for, perhaps, Marik. Kaiba took it as a clue that his puppy had yet to make the announcement.

"Katsuya and I are dating."

There.

Done.

Finished.

It wasn't too difficult after all. It was easier than telling Mokuba.

Silence.

No unhidden horror, gasps or whatsoever.

"Congratulations." Yugi was the first to speak. Kaiba had no doubt that his former nemesis had already known the news from Anzu, who had probably learnt it from Shizuka.

And speaking of Shizuka, his puppy's sister was still boring holes in him. From the looks of it, he didn't need Jounouchi to inform him that Shizuka was not taking the news very well.

He chose to ignore her but stroll up to his boyfriend and sat down beside him.

"Well, so er... how long have your relationship been going?" Mai broke the awkward silence.

Jounouchi didn't answer, so Kaiba replied, "Since I returned from Domino City."

"No." Jounouchi immediately corrected, "We only started dating three weeks ago."

More awkward silence.

Kaiba loathed the fact that Jounouchi was avoiding his gaze at all costs and instead was concentrating on the pizza.

"Do the kids know?" Anzu finally asked.

"Yes, and they like the idea."

"Have you slept together?"

Kaiba could hear a few gasps. He turned to see an ever-so-innocent Bakura smiling at him. Porcupine under a rabbit's coat. Bakura, with his tactics and wittiness could easily stir trouble for him...

"Not yet." He answered truthfully.

"Listen guys." Jounouchi interrupted, "Can you don't ask us such personal questions? You don't ask Bakura and Honda about their bed activities right?"

"Well, that's because they carry out their bed events everywhere even when they are not in their own houses." Mai reasoned.

"True, but..."

"Alright, Jou." Yugi smiled, "We know. But just don't let us be the last to know when you're getting married."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not marrying Kaiba." Jounouchi shot back, just as Kaiba turned to glare at his puppy.

"Er...I meant Seto."

Kaiba turned away and frowned mildly. The reunion's topic had shifted off to Shizuka and Otogi's honeymoon trip, but his mind was still on his puppy previous few words. It wasn't about his name that he had glared at his puppy; it was his puppy's answer to Yugi's question. He was going to have a very long talk with Jounouchi some day in the near future.

* * *

  
"Thith hat ith too big." Kisara complained as she emerged from behind the dressing partition of Harpy's playroom, clad in Black Magician Girl's blue and pink dress. The overly large hat slipped down her face, covering the whole of her small head and allowing her eyes to peek through the thin gap in the hat.

"Well, mommy made that for me and I'm one size bigger than you." Harpy shrugged, "Just stuff a small Kuribo doll into it and it will stand."

"Alright." Kisara nodded and did as told. The hat stood awkwardly on her head like a tower.

"You look pretty." Isis said as she sat quietly beside a sleeping Mana who was lying peacefully on a soft sleeping mat in the room. Dressed in a white robe and a small white crown, other than her black hair, the three year old resembled every inch a miniature holy elf with her innocent face.

"It'th tho good your mommy maketh all thethe dreththeth. I'm gonna get daddy bring me to your mommy'th thhop." Kisara promised.

"Yeah, but it's not fun when there's no one to wear them with me." Harpy complained as she ruffled the wings on her purple Harpy Lady Suit and adjusted her claws. "It's no point dressing up just by myself. And what is taking Seth and Jono and Mahaado so long?"

As if on cue, the three boys stumbled back into the room. Mahaado in an over-sized purple Black Magician costume while Seth and Jono in a Lord of Dragons and Flame Swordsman costumes respectively.

"Cute!!!" Harpy screeched delightfully as she ran over to help adjust the clothing on the boys.

"It's so warm." Mahaado complained as he pushed the purple hat out of his eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll switch on the air-conditional." Harpy suggested as she grabbed a stool and scrambled onto it to reach the cooler on the wall. One quick flick, her clawed feet slipped from the stool –

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiyaaaaa!" Harpy screeched as she fell back

And landed promptly on a Flame Swordsman.

"Awwwww." Jono groaned as he pushed the elder girl off him. "You're heavy."

"Phew, I almost died." The miniature Harp Lady sighed.

"Couldn't you flap your wings or something like that?"

"They are fake. Anyway, thanks."

"No sweat, now what we do?"

"Let's play make believe!" Harpy immediately suggested.

Jono, Seth and Mahaado's face fell.

"I know! We'll play ancient Egypt." Kisara piped, "I'll be Black Magician'th apprentice. Harpy Lady will be Flame Thwordthman'th wife. Holy Elf will be their child. Lord of Dragonth will be Flame Thwordthman'th brother and Black Magician will be Lord of Dragons'th wife!"

"What?" Mahaado gasped, "How can I be Seth's wife?"

Kisara blinked, "Why not?"

"Because." The mini Black Magician sputtered, "Because I'm a boy and he's a boy!"

"Tho?"

"Boys don't marry each other!" Mahaado declared.

Kisara frowned, "But daddy ith going to marry Theth and Jono'th daddy."

"Really?" Harpy raised a brow. "That's so good, then you three get to play together. If only mommy marries Uncle Jounouchi too."

Kisara beamed, "Theth and Jono'th daddy ith marrying MY dad."

"Well then, who are you going to call Mommy?" Isis asked from a corner.

"Kisara's daddy." Jono started just as Kisara interrupted.

"Theth and Jono'th daddy."

"Well?" Harpy raised a brow.

"But boys don't marry each other." Mahaado insisted.

"They do!" Kisara rebuked quickly. "Daddy ith going to marry Theth and Jono'th daddy!"

"They don't." Mahaado protested, "It's probably against the law."

Seth bit his lips. Things didn't look good from the way they were going.

"Let's just play duel monsters." He suggested quietly.

"Let'th duel." Kisara declared, "If I win, I'm correct, if you win, then you're right!"

"Alright." Mahaado nodded. "My deck master will be Black Magician!"

"And mine will be Black Magician Girl." Kisara announced triumphantly.

"Well, just to remind you, I don't have many Duel Monster dolls, only Harpy Ladies." Harpy informed.

"Eathy, you'll be our monthterth." Kisara smirked as she collected a box and went around the room to collect duel monster toys and magic effect toys before grabbing Seth and Harpy to her side. Mahaado did the same but pulled Jono and Isis to his side.

"I'll beat you this round!" Kisara smirked.

"We'll see." Mahaado returned.

* * *

  
"With Jewel of the Wise, I can summon Black Magician from my deck onto the field with Black Magician Girl." Yugi grinned, "And with their combined powers, I attack your Gilford the Lightning!"

"Not again..." Jounouchi groaned as he was once again defeated by the king of games. This was his third duel with his best friend during the past hour and he hadn't won. Kaiba, who was sitting beside him, had offered to help him a few times by means of taunting him with his so called lousy moves, but he had glared his boyfriend into eating pizza contentedly beside him.

A tap on his shoulder and Jounouchi found Bakura smiling at him.

"Honda wants to talk to you, alone." Bakura informed, stealing a look at Kaiba beside him, "He's at the balcony."

"Alright." Jounouchi nodded, feeling Kaiba grasping his hand.

"Leave some pizza for me." He reminded and pulled away from a frowning Kaiba.

He found Honda standing at the balcony, a beer in his hand.

"Hey buddy, what's up?" Jounouchi greeted as casually as possible.

"Nothing much, just wanted to congratulate you and Kaiba." Honda shrugged.

"Thanks." Jounouchi mumbled.

Honda cleared his throat and finally spoke, "Look, I'm sorry for what happened earlier, the whole thing about my infatuation with you. I'm over it now. Ryou really knocked some senses into me after the pub incident and I still have some bruises to prove it."

Jounouchi smiled. It was a rock lifted off his chest. At last, the parameters had been clarified. They were still buddies.

"I'm happy for you to have found someone you like, finally." Honda added.

Jounouchi leaned against the balcony beside his friend and sighed, "Yeah, someone I like, but I still feel uneasy about the whole thing. It feels so not right."

"Guy-guy relationships?"

"In a way, but more of who he is, Seto Kaiba. Imagine this happening back in High School. I would have rather have died in Battle City."

"I suppose Kaiba must be a great guy for you to like him." Honda grinned, wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "Anyway, Ryou wanted me to tell you, if you're worried about the sleeping together part, you can just ask us anytime."

"Sleep together-"Jounouchi flushed red, "I think I should be able to hold my own..."

"You'd think." Honda slapped his shoulder, "It's not as easy as you imagine. Kaiba might need to have you chained up in bed."

The morning's dream came back to him abruptly as Jounouchi felt his spine stiffen. "I'll start with some video tapes first."

"I'll bring some over to your vet tomorrow." Honda suggested.

The idea of watching videos sent all the hair on Jounouchi stand. He had meant it only as a joke. Still, he could very well take a look perhaps ...

"Erm. Okay."

* * *

  
"I raithe Harpy Lady from my cemetery to attack your face down monthter!" Kisara declared as she pulled Harpy onto the 'field'.

Signing, Harpy stepped over and swung her whip at Mahaado's feet. The mini Black Magician skipped back a few steps before grinning, "Ha, my faced down monster is Holy Elf, with a defense point higher than the attack points of Harpy Lady!"

"Yiketh!" Kisara grumbled as Harpy strolled off the field while Isis stumbled up onto a big blanket sprawled over the floor that made the field

"This is so wrong." Seth mumbled, sitting in Kisara 'cemetery' while he observed the game, "How can Black Magician Girl be fighting Black Magician?"

"My turn!" Mahaado announced, "I summon Flame Swordsman onto the field, and since you have no monsters on your field, my Flame Swordsman will attack you directly!"

Grudgingly, Jono strolled over to Kisara and hit her lightly with his sword.

"Awwwww. I'm not going to loth this time! I thummon my deck mathter onto the field!" The pale haired girl declared as she bounded onto the field and with her magic wand, whacked Jono on the head and sent him directly into Mahaado's cemetery.

"You re' forgetting that I still have my deck Master Black Magician with me too." Mahaado grinned, "Bye, Black Magician Girl!"

Kisara gasped.

"Take this!" Mahaado yelled, "Black Magic!!!"

Kisara took a step back as Mahaado pounced over with his staff and hit her gently with it.

"You lost!" The little boy announced triumphantly.

"No way!" Kisara shouted back, "Daddy ith going to marry Theth and Jono'th daddy."

"No they aren't, you lost." Mahaado answered calmly.

"NO! Daddy will marry Theth and Jono'th daddy!" Kisara screamed and whacked Mahaado with her staff.

Seth and Jono gasped in horror.

"Kisara!" Seth shouted. He glanced over at Mahaado and almost thought the little boy was going to burst into tears.

But Mahaado was glaring at Kisara who was in turn glaring back at him.

Without another word, Mahaado was suddenly on top of Kisara and was whacking her with his larger toy staff.

"Mahaado!" Harpy gasped as Kisara, being the bigger and stronger one, shoved the little boy off her and stood in attack prose.

Mahaado immediately picked himself off the floor and tackled Kisara. Pink staff met purple staff as the teacher and disciple started a staff fight and screaming competition.

"Will not!" Mahaado screamed as he swung the staff at Kisara's head, missing it narrowly as Kisara ducked.

"Will too!" Kisara yelled back as she hit Mahaado on the arm with her staff.

"Will not!" With that, Mahaado kicked Kisara on the leg.

Kisara fell back but was instantly back on her feet and blocking Mahaado's advances with her staff.

"Stop them!" Isis cried.

On cue, Jono and Harpy immediately stepped forward and tried to grasp the two fighting kids. Jono tried to drag Mahaado away, but the little boy was kicking and biting anyone who dared touched him.

"He bit me!" Jono shouted as Harpy tried to pull Kisara away. Kisara, in her madness waving her staff around, accidentally hit Harpy on the head with her staff.

"Kisara!" Harpy shouted irritated.

Kisara couldn't be bothered with her and went on attacking Mahaado.

"He bit me!" Jono repeated angrily. "I'll join your side, Kisara!"

With that, the little boy joined in the attacking of Mahaado.

"No fair!" Mahaado screeched as he fended himself.

"Take that!" Harpy shouted as she whipped Kisara.

"Harpy!" Mahaado shouted, delighted.

"I'll be on your side! We'll win the two of them!" Harpy yelled as she whipped Jono.

Jono winced and immediately poked Harpy painfully with his sword.

Seth watched in dismay as the teacher-disciple fight snowballed into a complete gang-fight.

"Someone stopped them!" Isis was crying as she crawled over to her kid sister, Mana who had awoken and was visibly frightened by the whole ding.

Suddenly, the door slammed open and an annoyed Mai glared at them.

Behind her, Kaiba, Jounouchi and Yugi stepped into the room, visibly aggravated.

"He bit me!" Jono yelled.

"She punched me with her stuff!" Mahaado declared.

"She whipped me!" Kisara glared at Harpy.

"I–" Harpy started but was glared to silence by her mother.

"I don't care what happened, but you kids are going to clean up the mess you made." Mai lectured, her hands on her hips, "Clean up the toys on the floor and I want all of you to apologize to one another now."

"No." Kisara shook her head stubbornly, ignoring her playmates' gasps.

"Kisara, what was it about?" Her father demanded firmly as he stopped in front of her.

Kisara pouted. "Mahaado thaid that you weren't going to marry Theth and Jono'th daddy."

"IT'S WRONG!" Mahaado yelled as he ran to his daddy, who was comforting Isis and Mana. "And she hit me first!"

"He bit-" Before Jono could add another word to the confusion, Seth quickly cupped his twin brother's mouth and dragged him off to the corner where their daddy was standing.

"Any broken arms?" His daddy asked as he picked up Jono.

Jono shook his head obstinately, obviously still angry about the whole thing.

Seth turned back to Kisara had folded her arms across her chest obstinately and was currently pouting at her daddy.

"In any case, you should not have hit your playmates." Kisara's daddy admonished her.

Kisara turned away stubbornly.

"You apologize now or we're going home now!" Kaiba threatened.

All the children turned and gasped in sheer horror. Though they had quarreled and fought, none of them, even Harpy and Mahaado, wanted Kisara to go now. It wasn't often when all of them could meet up and play together. The last time they had had such a gathering was at Aunt Shizuka's wedding and even then, it hadn't been as fun as this time before they had started squabbling.

"Kisara..." Seth called out, hoping Kisara would apologize and stay.

Kisara was starring at her father in pure irritancy and disbelief.

"The kids are just playing." Jounouchi piped, pushing past Mai to enter the room. "We used to quarrel and fight all day back in high school too. Besides, Kisara was not the only one fighting. Seth, Jono, Mahaado and Harpy would have to go home if they were all to be punished. Just leave the kids to be."

"But Kisara –" Kaiba begun but was quickly pulled away by Jounouchi out of the room.

As the adults filed out of the room, Seth and Jono stared at each other helplessly. Kisara was frowning at a corner of the room, face in deep thought. Seth wondered if Kisara was going to cry.

Mahaado was really worried. He didn't mean to make Kisara unhappy, and he as afraid that the older girl was going to cry now.

"Mph." The blue eyed girl suddenly stood up, revitalized and declared triumphantly, "I'm going to pour glue into daddy's shoes tomorrow morning before he goes to work!"

Seth, Jono, Mahaado and Harpy choked.

"But he's your daddy!" Harpy reminded.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't play tricks on him. Don't you guys play tricks on your daddies?"

Harpy pondered for a few moments, "Yeah, I added salt into my mommy's coffee. But I was angry then."

"And I swapped daddy's shaving cream with whipped cream." Jono confessed.

"That was you?!" Seth gasped. Then again, who else?

"I painted my daddy's toe nails pink while he was sleeping." Mahaado admitted quietly.

The kids exchanged eloquent looks that spoke wordlessly of deep compassion and children understanding before bursting into laughter.

"And there was once I changed mommy's moisturizing cream with milkshake!"

"I stuck chewing gum into my grandpa's dentures!"

"Cool! I'm gonna try that!"

With their previous brawl forgotten, the five Tasmanian Devils swapped evil plots while a sleepy Isis lay down beside her sleeping sister and fell asleep soon.

* * *

  
"I was disciplining my daughter." Kaiba said through clenched teeth.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. They were standing alone on Mai's unlighted balcony where he had had an earlier conversation with Honda, while the others had disappeared into the kitchen, preparing supper and chatting.

"You were threatening her." Jounouchi argued. "I don't think coercing is considered something you want to teach Kisara."

"You're too soft with the twins. They get all over you." Kaiba disagreed.

"You're too strict with Kisara."

"She's hyperactive and can be uncontrollable if I don't teach her what is right from wrong right after she made the mistake." Kaiba disputed.

"You wouldn't have so much of a problem if you let her try the medications!" Jounouchi shot back. He could not understand why Kaiba simply refused to and resisted so strongly to the idea of putting Kisara on medication. He could still remember their last half-hearted few arguments over how Kisara could be treated, as well as their first argument during the reunion at Yugi's house. While Kaiba was right that Ritalin and Aderall do have some adverse effects on children, it happened only to a very small percentage of the children who took the medication. Besides, there was a chance Kisara could be completely healed with the medication.

"Never!" Kaiba snapped. "Do I have to go through the whole works with you again, Doctor Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi felt his heart rate increase as his face grew heated with anger. Kaiba was obviously out for a fight.

"Oh yeah? Enlighten me, Mr. CEO." Jounouchi countered.

"You're a dreamer, mutt." Kaiba said coldly.

The word mutt hit Jounouchi like an arrow on the bull's eye. Kaiba had not once called him the insulting mutt since they were together. Affectionate calls of puppy, yes, mutt, no.

"And you are a downright, god-condemned, damnned pessimist of the century." Jounouchi defied.

"I'm a realist." Kaiba corrected coldly.

"Damn you, Kaiba. You're the greatest pain in the ass of a royal asshole!" Jounouchi yelled.

His open mouth was suddenly covered by another as a tongue flicked seductively into his mouth.

What the hell was Kaiba doing! Jounouchi's mind was screaming in anger as the intrusive tongue licked at his tongue dominatingly.

Weren't they just having a quarrel?

Nevertheless, he closed his eyes and felt himself kissing back passionately, his tongue exploring Kaiba's warm mouth.

Kaiba's mouth left his for a brief second to mumble just one gentle word.

"Don't." Kaiba spoke softly before latching himself back onto Jounouchi's mouth.

Don't?

Don't what? Don't kiss me back? Don't argue with me? Don't be angry with me? Jounouchi wondered as his mind completely succumbed to Kaiba's passionate kisses. The guy was a hell of a kisser.

Then it occurred to Jounouchi that there were standing in the open balcony of a six-storey high apartment block, free for all to see, and what if, Yugi and the others come out from the kitchen? Jounouchi doubted this was something they want to see, especially Shizuka. She would probably throw herself, or more likely, throw Kaiba and him off the balcony.

"Kaiba, we've got to stop." Jounouchi pushed Kaiba away and whimpered.

"Don't stop." Kaiba answered, gasping for air as he moved away from Jounouchi's mouth, licking Jounouchi's cheek and chin as he trailed down for Jounouchi's neck.

"Someone might see us." Jounouchi argued feebly as Kaiba sucked at his neck tenderly.

"It's too dark, the light is not on." Kaiba paused just long enough in his feverous kissing to answer.

As much as Jounouchi was enjoying himself, the kissing had to stop.

He pulled Kaiba by the shirt down to eye-level and found Kaiba gazing into his eyes with an irritated look in his eyes.

"You're wasting precious time." Kaiba grumbled. "We meet up for an hour each day just enough to catch up on each other's life with nothing as much as a hug. It's dark and comfortable here and we are crazy to waste the opportunity by quarreling about the upbringing of the kids."

So Kaiba wasn't too happy about just meeting up everyday, a date a week... Jounouchi had been pretty fine with it. But it was obvious Kaiba wanted more than sitting down and chatting about everyday life. Kaiba wanted kissing, necking and...

Jounouchi gulped as he recalled the conversation with Honda earlier on the same balcony. The memory of the conversation immediately led to the earlier memory of a dream that morning. Kaiba wearing nothing... and he being chained to the bedposts...

Jounouchi pulled away.

"You're being a spoilt brat." He managed to mumble.

"I know." Kaiba grinned.

Jounouchi blinked. Kaiba actually grinned?

He shook his head to clear the image. The smile. Still there.

Nevermind. He turned back to the living room, "Let's get back in. Shizuka has something to announce tonight."

"Like what? She denounces all her detestation against me?"

"I'm going to have a nephew, or maybe a niece."

"Mn."

* * *

  
Hugs and kisses ballooned all over the place as almost everyone congratulated Otogi and Shizuka on their new baby.

Kaiba felt like hurling himself out of the kitchen window. It was at situations like these which he felt the most uncomfortable. It was a wonder he could handle Board meetings, business talks, meetings with politicians, grand dinner functions, but not these small family matters.

At Kaiba Corp, he had never been bothered with any of his employee's family news, regardless there were getting married, having a baby, getting divorced or getting cancer from too much smoking. If the news did bother him, it had to be because of a good worker dying or resigning leading. Nevertheless, Kaiba Corp seldom fired Employees just because they were getting married or whatsoever. Despite Kaiba's own apprehension at this type of stuff, he understood enough that a happy employee was perhaps still a productive employee.

Still, with a frown from Jounouchi, he had dutifully approached the happy father-to-be and congratulated him with a firm handshake.

The conversation was currently on when they found out the happy news, with the mothers, Mai and Anzu fussing over their new companion, while the males watched on, commenting and laughing together every now and then.

"Have you gone to the doctor?" Anzu was asking Shizuka.

"Yes, the baby is thirteen weeks, actually." Shizuka admitted shyly.

"Almost three months?" Mokuba looked at Otogi strangely. "But you were married in Mid-March, 11 weeks ago..."

"So, I presume it's no honeymoon baby!" Bakura grinned.

"No," Otogi smiled sheepishly. "Actually we discovered it the day at the reunion at Yugi's, when it was two weeks old, with a pregnancy kit. But we decided to leave it until after the honeymoon."

"Then, there was the danger of miscarrying in the first trimester, so we decided to tell you guys later." Shizuka added and then looked at her brother. "Even mom and dad don't know yet."

Kaiba watched as Jounouchi reached over and gave his sister a big bear-hug.

The conversation then continued to the naming of the kids, which Kaiba found intriguingly boring.

Nevertheless, he did his best to join in the conversation, in the proceedings of making Jounouchi's friends his.

* * *

  
The cool air refreshed Jounouchi as he stepped into the car park with Otogi in tow, each carrying a sleeping twin in their arms.

It was almost midnight by the time the gathering had ended. As expected, the children had fallen asleep in the playroom.

Jounouchi and Otogi laid the children gently into the backseat of his car.

Beside his car, Yugi was doing the same for his youngest daughter Mana, while a yawning Mahaado and Isis stumbled sleepily into their car.

Jounouchi waved to Yugi and Anzu as the couple drove off with their children sleeping behind.

He glanced over to the familiar Hyundai Matrix belonging to Seto Kaiba which stood strikingly on the other side of his car. Mokuba had laid the sleeping Kisara into the back of the car and was now waiting in the car for Kaiba.

Jounouchi raised his brows as he scanned around the car park for his lover.

And jumped slightly when his boyfriend wrapped his arms around him from behind.

"Night, Katsuya." Kaiba whispered into his ear.

Wolf-whistles could be heard as Bakura and Honda whistled from their cars.

Jounouchi could see Shizuka starring at him with a not-so-happy expression.

Kaiba noticed his diverted attention and looked up slightly to observe it, a small smirk spilling at his lips.

Then, ignoring Shizuka's glare and Bakura's whistle, Kaiba leaned forward and gave him a goodnight kiss.

Jounouchi allowed the kiss to linger for ten seconds, deciding that a little reward was necessary for his lover's participation in the gathering, before pulling away.

"Good night."

Jounouchi watched as Kaiba turned and climbed into his own car, with a surprised but smiling Mokuba gaping at him.

He waved as Kaiba pulled out of the car park and drove off.

Finally, he sighed and turned back to his sister, who was still glaring at him.

At least one of them had a supporting sibling...

_To be continued_

* * *

**Authors' Comments:**

1) Regular readers would notice that we changed the fic from PG-13 to M... quite unwillingly, but we are risking no chances...we did not expect the fic to spiral to such ratings previously. Nonetheless, readers below 17 can be assured that the fic will hopefully not go graphically beyond kissing, necking and a bit of strip-teasing. Thus, judge for yourselves whether you would like to continue reading the story. We apologize for no prior notices and warning before changing the ratings. Thank you to all readers and enjoy the fic!

2) Jounouchi's birthday is 25th January, Kaiba's birthday is in November(have to check up exact date later), in Japan, the school year starts in April, so in the same level there will be students of 2 ages- older ones born from April to Dec, and the younger ones from Jan to March in the following the year. So, Kaiba is not only two months older but actually also considered one year older that Jounouchi.

3) Not much fluff in this super long chapter. Can't have our readers hooked on lime and lemons... And us hooked on writing lime and lemon...

4) Horrifyingly long chapter... took a long time too.

4) Our thanks to TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6, K.M.A, ArticaMarsial, Konniwa, Sly Kitsune and many more who has yet to leave a name, for your support!


	14. Chapter 12: Conversations

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 12**  


* * *

  
"...Kuribo Family Adventure Stories are now on sale at counter 10. Please approach our friendly staffs regarding any enquires..."

Jounouchi perked up at the mention of the small brown creature and took a moment to ponder on the announcement.

Jono and Seth would definitely love the Kuribo Adventure Stories. In fact, they had been bugging him to buy the entire collection since the first book was released but he had decided to borrow from Yugi instead of purchasing the entire set. It wasn't the point about being thrifty, it was more of being cautious –

More books around the house meant more torture for Seth; And Jono wasn't likely to read the books by himself. But if the Kuribos were on sale now, heck, it might be worth it. He started towards the counter, but then halted as he caught sight of a small signboard at the far end of the bookstore. He blinked, then snuck a quick glance at it again to confirm his doubt.

Yup. That was what he had come to Domino City's largest bookstore for today. He drew in a breath and tried to keep his task in mind. He was going to buy those books sooner or later. He needed them. Even if one part of his brain was screaming at him that it would be the most embarrassing moment of his life, the other part was arguing that his minimal knowledge on the particular subject, which was a very sensitive issue, was not enough; He needed some book, a book with some graphical explanations and guides to help him in that subject so he wouldn't be a compete klutz or moron in front of Kaiba when they came to it.

Sex.

As in gay sex.

The Kuribos could wait a little longer; he decided and took a faltering step towards the shadowed section, swallowing nervously.

If anyone was to see him walk there-

"Sir, may I help you?" A sweet feminine voice greeted from behind.

Jounouchi heart missed a beat.

"Sir?"

Jounouchi turned around casually, hoping that the salesgirl had not notice his awkwardness. He was but ten steps from that part of the bookstore and it seemed almost obvious where he was headed to. And if anyone was to see him walk there, he would either kill himself or that fellow, both were equally applicable.

"Well, I uhh-"

"Kuribo Family Adventures are now up to book ten. If you buy them together as a boxed set, you will get a limited edition Kuribo toy." The sales girl persuaded cheerfully, appearing not to notice Jounouchi's discomfort.

Bless heaven for the innocent and the ignorant...

"Thanks, but I'm just looking around." He mumbled quietly and quickly turned his attention to a bookshelf nearest to him and grabbed one book.

It was on parenting. He had enough parenting books at home to open a book shop himself. But still, to ward off the saleslady, he pretended to be browsing through the pages, not realizing that he was holding the book upside down.

"Alright, I hope you enjoy your shopping." The young lady smiled considerately and left for another target.

Jounouchi took the opportunity to stumble off. He felt slightly sorry for the young saleslady. But Kuribo Adventures was not something he had in mind now. He could always borrow it from Yugi, or Kaiba. Kaiba was bound to have bought the entire collection of Duel Monsters Adventure for his pampered daughter.

Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, Jounouchi started for the section again. It was just a few steps ahead. Once he reached the shelf, he could just turn into the corner and no one would be able to see him.

He stole a peek around him as he took one hesitant step forward - and gulped when he saw that the salesgirl had lost her last target and was smiling at him again too helpfully.

Look away! Jounouchi yelled silently. Or maybe he could use his ESP, maybe he could will the girl to look away.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.

Nope. Not working.

Try again.

LOOOOOOOOK AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.

But for all he knew, in the last twenty-eight years of the life as Katsuya Jounouchi, he had never had any extra-sensory power or any power of that sort, except if luck was counted as one.

He had the best of luck. He had won so many of his duels using his Gamble Deck. Could the goddess of luck smile at him just for today?

Bingo. The salesgirl was approaching another customer.

He took a deep breathe and sneaked a last glance around him.

Everyone seemed to be looking at him as he closed the distance between him and the corner.

Every pair of eyes in the book shop seemed to be on him. Every mind was thinking... He's going into that section. He is a-

The pressure was building up. Maybe he should just turn around and walk off. But that would defeat his purpose in the bookstore at all.

No. He would make it.

Katsuya Jounouchi survived Marik and the shadow games. He survived twenty eight years of life. He survived his parent's divorce and a hell of a childhood. He survived single-parenting. Now, he would survive walking into the section.

The shelf was just a few steps away. Jounouchi could already count how many steps it took to reach it.

Five steps.

No one is looking at you.

Four steps.

It's psychological. You know it.

Three steps.

There, you can see the books already.

Two steps.

First book on the shelf: Homosexuality: A Different Light.

One step.

Safe! You made it!

He was safe, in the corner behind the shelf. No one could see him behind the shelf. And no one, hopefully, saw him walking into the corner or recognized him.

Sighing in relief, Jounouchi took a few deep breathes and calm himself before proceeding with his mission.

He glanced at the tall shelves in front of him. The shelf was completely packed with books.

"Mnnn..." Jounouchi hummed as he glanced through the titles.

First step to Homosexuality.

Jounouchi picked the book off the shelf and flipped through the books.

It was completely filled with words.

He needed something with more graphics.

The Grand Entrance to Male-Sex.

He flipped open the book and was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of graphics.

Jounouchi slammed the book close and threw it back into the shelf

Too much.

If he wanted that, he would have watched those videos Honda gave him.

Yeah, speaking of those videos, he hoped his parents didn't find them while tidying up his room.

Honda had passed them to him shortly after their last gathering at Mai's, as promised.

He had then put off watching the videos for a long time, partially because he was still uncomfortable with the whole idea and secondly because-he had no idea what was inside the tapes. The tapes were in normal copied tape boxes, with no pictures outside to introduce the movie and no title.

Finally, last night, he had locked himself in his room, mustered the courage to pop the video into the VCR and press play.

It was his greatest nightmares come true...

It was definitely ten times worse than Death-T, a hundred times watching Mai suffering being defeated by Marik, and a thousand times worse than being burnt by the God Phoenix.

Ten minutes into the show, with his eyes closed more than half the time, and the sounds completely muted, he pulled the tape out and stuck it under his mattress, condemning it for life.

He could never look at Bakura and Honda in the same way, ever again.

And he would never go to Bakura's cake shop again. God knows what was in all those cakes.

Jounouchi shuddered at the thought. Bakura had often given them free cakes...

Shaking the thoughts out his mind, Jounouchi proceeded on his mission.

His objective was to find a good book which can teach him all he needed to know. Watching a relationship was completely different from being in one. He had watched Honda and Bakura together for years. But now, only being in a gay relationship himself did he realize there was so much he still didn't know. Kaiba would probably guide him along but still it felt completely strange. Asking Honda and Bakura was a good idea, but after watching the video last night, Jounouchi wasn't even sure if he could still look at them at all.

A familiar yellow paper-back with large black words caught his attention.

Dummies' Guide to Gay-Sex.

That seemed like a good one. He liked Dummy Guides. After all, he had learnt a lot from them - parenting, running a business, driving...

He reached for the book. It was located high up on the tallest shelf, requiring him to stretch his hand for it.

A hand covered his and grasped his wrist.

Jounouchi's eyes widened.

Coolness breezed into the back of his shirt.

A warm hand made its way in from under the back of his shirt, touching him sensually as it moved up along his spinal cord.

Jounouchi froze all the way from the toes to the tip of his hair.

* * *

  
Seto Kaiba leaned back into his computer chair as he stared into the computer screen. The online meeting was getting infuriatingly boring by the second, with his prospective business partners arguing within their own company. Didn't they understand that the CEO of Kaiba Corporation had better things to do than to watch their childish bickering?

Deciding he would spare another two minutes to see if the quarrel would end and the meeting continue, Kaiba allowed his mind to drift off momentarily to other issues - Katsuya.

He could still remember their first date, where after the strip-tease, they had wound up in Kaiba's office, where he was sitting now. That date had been the best, probably because it had been the first. Of course there had been dates after it that were nice too, but none of them had been as sensual. Both of them were always too tired after a whole day's of work they barely did a single thing during the date. Then, there was the painful foot-massaging date which Jounouchi took him to. Had Jounouchi been still the mutt he knew from ten years ago, he would have swore that the dumb puppy was out for his life.

He turned his attention back to the screen. If only he was watching Katsuya instead of the two squabbling monkeys in the computer screen.

Install a camera in the puppy's vet... Kaiba smirked at the thought. The image of his puppy dancing or even strip-teasing for him before the camera. Or better, maybe he should install a secret surveillance camera in the vet to catch the most priceless and adorable life of his puppy.

A loud smack attracted his attention back to the computer screen.

The two executives who were business partners running the company together were currently, slapping one another.

Kaiba sighed. It was apparent the quarrel wasn't about to end for a while. Whatever the case, he had no interest in dealing with companies that had conflicts within themselves, and the game company had just proven itself to be one.

Without a word, the CEO reached for the mouse on his large office table and with a click, closed the window where a footage of two vulgarities-spitting executives could be seen strangling one another.

"Morons." Kaiba mouthed silently and glanced over to his secretary, whom immediately knowingly left the room for her desk. A call from the company regarding why the meeting was suddenly stopped was bound to come, and Kaiba had better business to do than to answer it himself.

As expected, the phone rang. Kaiba could hear Mrs. Kazumi talking on the phone, informing the executives that Kaiba Corp had no wish to deal with imbeciles. The phone was then immediately slammed down before further explanations or comments could be made.

Kaiba smirked.

That was exactly what he liked about his secretary. Sharp and unyielding. Mrs. Kazumi had worked long enough for him to understand him and what he wants. One glance from Kaiba was enough for her to achieve what he wanted. Moreover, the old lady was proficient in computer programs and all other kinds of hi-tech systems, which marked her as a highly-productive worker.

Kaiba shook the thoughts off and turned back to his computer. He had a whole bunch of meetings lined up later the day and there were still many documents to be read, sighed, edited, and important letters to be read and replied -

His office door slammed open rudely and a bunch of white hair strutted in smugly.

"Who-?" Kaiba looked up irately. Being barged upon was something he definitely did not enjoy.

He paused.

"Bakura."

The pale white-haired male had settled himself into the chair quickly on the other side of the desk and was swiveling himself about in the chair, one leg crossed.

"Ryou, Seto." The young man corrected.

Kaiba frowned.

"What do you want, Bakura?" He asked before realizing his error. "Or should I say, what does Honda want now?"

Bakura smirked.

"Don't worry, it's not Hiroto. It's Yugi actually."

Kaiba raised a brow. That was surprising. When did Yugi had anything to do with... anything?

Mrs. Kazumi knocked on the door and popped a head in.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba, I couldn't stop him." The old lady said apologetically.

Kaiba waved her off and directed his attention back to the young man who was now playing with his paperclips, clipping them all together to form a little whip.

"What does Yugi want?" Kaiba spoke cautiously; Honda had been a threat to their relationship, because he was interested in Jounouchi, but Yugi? The man seemed happily married. What could he want?

Bakura shrugged. "He wants to talk to you."

"Then why are you here instead of him?"

"He thought I seemed to be on better terms with you than he is with you."

Kaiba scoffed. Those were terms he rather not be on.

"Where is he if he wants to talk?" Kaiba demanded.

Bakura got out of his chair and strolled to the large glass panel overseeing Domino City.

"At the coffee shop down the corner. He's waiting there."

Kaiba frowned.

"Now?"

Bakura returned to his seat and started swiveling in his chair again.

"Well, yes now, but we could wait for you until your lunch hour." Bakura started absently.

Kaiba checked his office clock. It was barely ten in the morning.

He observed the white hair male who was now in the process of unscrewing the chair with his spinning.

It was obvious Bakura wasn't about to leave the office without him. That guy was going to stay here and pester him into leaving.

"Fine." Kaiba packed up his papers. Whatever Yugi and Bakura wanted couldn't be too important, but it was intriguing.

The meeting could be very interesting...

* * *

  
Jounouchi's first reaction was to turn around and pound the guy to mash.

Moronic gay bastard! His mind screamed as the fingers trailed down his back, stiffening his spine. Which bloody idiot dared to touch him?!

He had never been so insulted in his life... well, that is besides Kaiba's mutt insults back in High School, but that was not the point. To dare to touch him, in the public bookstore and so audaciously, the gay deserved a good broken jaw.

He whipped around and aimed one good fist at the molester's jaw. It had been years since he last fought, or even punched someone. The very last time was when he had throttled Ryuji, but his fighting skills were definitely still polished.

"Jou."

Brown eyes greeted him. Jounouchi halted just an inch away from his buddy's nose.

"Honda?" Jounouchi's eyes widened in surprise.

"You don't go around punching your buddies, do you?"

You don't go around groping shoppers, do you?" Jounouchi shot back instantly.

"Not unless they're in this section of the bookstore." Honda teased. "Need help?"

Jounouchi felt all his blood gush up to his face.

"I was just looking around." He stuttered lamely as he watched Honda reach one hand up to retrieve the Dummy's Guide.

"Mnn... You want this?" Honda turned to him questioningly.

"No." Jounouchi sputtered, nevertheless, deep down, he knew Honda knew better.

"Why not? It's a good one." Honda continued, flipping through the colored pages.

"I don't need it."

"Bullshit." Honda shot back and grabbed another book off the shelf - the one with a lot of graphics before proceeding to drag Jounouchi to the counter.

"I'll buy this book for you. Take it as a gift from Ryou and me as a present for your first gay relationship."

"Honda!" Jounouchi glared as he was dragged stumbling to the cashier.

"It's just a book." Honda convinced as he handed the book to the cashier.

The balding cashier perked up at the title before throwing a look of disapproval at them.

Jounouchi looked away. Honda was humming absently to himself as he waited for the payment, obviously unbothered by the stares the cashier was giving them.

While the cashier was taking an awfully long time, Jounouchi suffered silently. The queue was building up behind them and most shoppers were getting impatient and trying to peek over. Two teenagers in Domino High School uniforms lining up behind them was glancing over his shoulder to see what was dragging the time, and gasped when they saw the book, before bursting into heaps of giggle, attracting even more attention to Jounouchi and Honda.

What the hell was the cashier doing, taking such a long time! Jounouchi was screaming inwardly. He had never felt so embarrassed and humiliated before. And how could Honda be so completely cool about it? Then again, that guy was completely senseless sometimes.

Jounouchi glared at the middle-aged man who was currently still searching for the price tag.

It's at the bottom behind the book! Jounouchi screamed silently as he watched the cashier flip the book round and round -

- failing miserably to find the price tag.

Then the man put down the book and picked up a microphone.

Jounouchi's heart stopped.

NOOOOOOO......

"This is counter ten. Staff 2057, can you please check the price of The Grand Entrance to Male-Sex, under Section Sex and Homosexuality, ISBN 1025- 95432-65..."

If there was a hole, Jounouchi would have buried himself in it for the next three thousand years. Or better, he would willingly be banished to the shadow realms for eternity.

He could swear that every one in the bookstore was looking at him, and this time, it was no psychological effect.

Then the anger kicked in as Jounouchi glared at the cashier. It was an anger and impulsiveness that he had kept in check since the twins were around. He had always kept his temper under control to put up a good side for the twins. But today, the cashier was obviously out for a fight and he had never been humiliated like this. This was one fury he would not control. The cashier had embarrassed him and Honda to the utmost and attracted the most attention already.

He almost would have climbed over the counter and punched the lights out of the cashier if Honda had not held him back.

The cashier could feel his fury emitting from behind the counter. Instantly, the price-tag was found and the book paid for and bagged quickly.

"Let's go." Honda tightened his firm grasp around him and dragged him out of the bookstore.

"You've got to get use to it." Honda said softly as he let go of Jounouchi a few minutes later as they stopped at a crossroad.

"Get use to it?" Jounouchi snapped. "That guy was asking for it!"

"You can't expect them to always understand." Honda shook his head and shoved the book towards him.

"Yeah but...never mind. Uh... thanks..." The book erased his prior anger as he took the book nervously.

Jounouchi observed his buddy silently while they waited for the traffic lights to change.

His buddy still wore his trademark trench coat with a shirt and trousers underneath. He always believed it made him look like a real investigator when they were younger. Now, Honda had really become a PI.

They had been buddies since junior high. Not once had Honda let him down or betrayed him at all. When no one had dared to stand up against Hirutani with him back then, Honda had quickly offered his loyalty. After graduating from junior high, Honda had followed him to Domino High, and stuck through with him all the while, from his first Duel to his last. And Honda had always been there to guide and protect him, their friends and his sister.

Jounouchi wasn't sure if the loyalty that Honda had showered him with was true loyalty between friends or simply because Honda was in love with him all along. But still, Honda was a friend he never wanted to lose. And he really appreciated that Honda was still helping him even after his feelings were rejected.

The traffic light turned green man.

"How were the video?" Honda asked as they crossed the road.

"Horrifying." Jounouchi declared. "Remind me never to go to Bakura's shop again."

Honda's brows were raised.

"That bad? What was in the video?"

Jounouchi's eyes were widened as he glanced at his buddy hesitantly.

Honda shrugged.

"Bakura told me to pass it to you. He said it was the best guide for a first-timer like you."

Jounouchi made a mental note to throttle the white-haired next time he saw him.

"You and Bakura, what else is more frightening?"

"Try, you and Kaiba? Or Kaiba with someone else?"

Jounouchi turned blue at the thought.

"Uh, you in the hurry to go anywhere?" Jounouchi quickly diverted the topic.

"Not really, want sit down somewhere? I can go through the book with you." Honda offered as they paused in front of a coffee shop.

Jounouchi weighed his options. He had no appointments for the rest of the day. And if there were any emergency cases, he could run back to the vet within minutes. The vet was just a few turns away from the café. Besides, if he had some questions, he could ask now. And if he was to ask anyone about things regarding that matter, it had to be Honda. Kaiba had been very patient with him on the sleeping part. But he could still feel his boyfriend's patience wearing as the days passed. Sleeping together would be just a matter of time; it could even be tonight during their date.

"Alright."

Honda pushed the door of the café open and entered the premise, with Jounouchi trailing behind, heading for the back of the cafe. Miraculously, neither of them noticed the familiar bunch of tri-colored hair standing in a booth right beside the café's floor windows.

* * *

  
Kaiba eyed Bakura and Yugi warily as he sat opposite of the two in the café.

Yugi was sipping his coffee nervously while Bakura was completely laid back.

"Sorry to bother you while you're working." The shortest of the three apologized sincerely.

"Mn."

"I want to talk to you about Jou."

That was probably the only thing they could talk about in the world other than dueling.

"What about Katsuya?" Kaiba tried to sound as uninterested as he could. As much as he hated receiving help from his former nemesis, Yugi was one of the few people who understood Jounouchi and could provide him with helpful information.

"I should congratulate you on your coming together with Jou first-"

"Cut the crap." Kaiba snapped.

"Fine." Yugi's lips were pulled back in a tight frown. "Why are you doing this to Jou?"

"Doing what?" Kaiba glared at Yugi, "Love him?"

Yugi seemed a bit taken back.

Bakura interrupted. "Anzu, Yugi, Mai, etcetera, they want to know if you're serious in Jou or not."

"Bakura told me about the challenge he had with you." Yugi continued.

Bakura shrugged. "I had to, he and Anzu had me at pot-and-pan-point. They would have hump-thumped me if I didn't tell. Plus, I want to know."

Kaiba snorted.

"I thought you didn't care about Jou. All is fair in love and war?"

"Yeah, but that was when Honda was on a shaky spot, now that I have him completely sobered and back to me, Jou is as much a buddy to me as Honda is a lover."

Kaiba intensified his glare on Bakura. One day, he swore, he would make life hell for that guy, hell beyond his imagination.

"If you're just playing with him..." Yugi started.

Kaiba reached for his metal briefcase that had been sitting patiently beside him and threw it onto the table. His two companions jumped in their seats.

Unlatching the briefcase skillfully, he flipped the briefcase opened and pulled out a set of papers and flung them onto the table in front of Yugi and Bakura.

Frowning, Yugi reached for them and started reading through them with Bakura peeking over his shoulder.

Kaiba latched up his briefcase and settled it back into its original spot.

He would show them just how serious he was about the puppy!

Yugi and Bakura's eyes were widened as they scrolled down the passages on the papers.

Finally, Yugi dropped the paper onto the table.

Kaiba had two pairs of large serious eyes staring at him in disbelief.

Kaiba clasped his fingers together and spoke calmly, "I'm giving Jounouchi two percent of Kaiba's Corp shares."

"You..." Yugi trailed off, speechless.

Kaiba wasn't surprised, anyone would had been.

"The twins get point five percent each. They can sell it off or do anything with it after they reached sixteen, like Kisara, who has one percent right now."

"You're completely serious about Jou." Yugi stared at him, taking in deep breathes.

"Absolutely." Kaiba replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Does Jou know yet?" Bakura asked, visibly still dazed from the shock.

"No, but he will know later today."

"Is Jou that serious about you?" Yugi asked quietly.

Kaiba frowned. The egoist in him wanted to yell at Yugi that no one could be better with Jounouchi than him. Yet the realist in him also understood that the puppy was impossible to understand. Even Kaiba Corp's main computer could not analyze the puppy's train of thoughts.

What if Jounouchi was only playing with him? That he was the one being made fun of?

Never! He would never let Jounouchi live on that.

But that was out of the point. Jounouchi should know better than to fool around with Seto Kaiba.

Then the egoism took over again. No man alive in Domino City, or maybe the whole world, was more charming than Seto Kaiba, richer, smarter and had better dueling skills than him. There was no way Jounouchi wouldn't fall for him, even if the puppy was supposed to be a pure straight.

Seto Kaiba would own Katsuya Jounouchi, his heart and soul.

"You weren't around for the last ten years. How much do you know Jou?" Bakura questioned.

"Mpf." Kaiba grunted. The answer was apparent enough to everyone.

"That's why I came today." Yugi spoke. "Both you and Jou are good friends of our gang. I want to tell you about Jou in the last ten years."

"Loosen up, Yugi." Bakura interrupted. "You're making Jou sound like he went crazy in the last ten years."

Yugi shrugged.

Kaiba leaned back into his seat. He could sit through a good story.

* * *

  
Jounouchi stirred his drink absently, with his head propped up with a hand as he leaned on the table opposite Honda. The café's atmosphere was good, soft music in the background, orange light shining gently on them, giving a drowsy ambience.

There were seated at the back of the café, a good spot in Jounouchi's point of view, since it was quite hidden from the rest of the café, and he could read the book at ease.

Honda was currently flipping through 'The Grand Entrance to Male-Sex' and asking him a few random questions, pointing out some important points every now and then.

Not that Jounouchi was really paying attention anyway. He was better off self-studying rather than having someone forcing the information into him. The scene reminded him of those last few months in high school where Anzu would drag the whole gang down to some fast food restaurant where they would spend the whole day studying for their final examinations. Back then, he would usually sit a short distance away from the rest of the gang and study on his own. Years of experience had told him that he studied better that way.

"You still haven't slept with Kaiba yet?"

Jounouchi turned his attention back to his buddy who was still flipping the pages negligently.

Jounouchi was thoughtful for a moment. But it was really nothing important to hide from his buddy.

"You just asked not long ago. No."

"Surprising. Bakura and I had the impression that he was the fast type."

"Fast type?"

"Yeah. The first time, you hold hands, the second time, you kiss, the third time you go to bed." Honda informed, "Since the two of you kinda kissed the first time, we almost thought the two of you have bedded. Then it has been one week since Mai's gathering, a lot could have happened."

"No." Jounouchi repeated.

"So, how he's doing?" Honda asked testily, closing the book.

"Okay, I guess." Jounouchi answered, watching the bubbles rise in his gassy, drink.

"No," Honda rolled his eyes, "I mean, he's tolerating?"

Jounouchi watched the reflection of his blank face pull into a frown on the sparkling drink.

"I guess so." He sighed, "He's being patient with me. But I know his patience is running short. Hell, at Mai's gathering. He was completely hugs and kisses when we were alone on the corridor."

Honda kept quiet, prompting him to continue.

"He doesn't voice it, but I know he wants more." Jounouchi mumbled glumly.

"Respect for you and concern towards the kids are probably the only things stopping him from knocking you out like a caveman and dragging you into his cave." Honda laughed at the thought.

"Honda!" Jounouchi hissed though the joke was getting to him too.

"I better start teaching you the whole works." Honda declared.

"Go light on me." Jounouchi reminded. "I fall asleep during lectures."

"I will, now listen up. The whole thing is kinda the same as what a guy and a girl would do." Honda started, "You kiss, neck around and probably play with some syrup or whip cream."

"Never!" Jounouchi shot back, "Doesn't that dirty your bed?"

"We usually do it right in the kitchen or just wash the bedspread in warm water later." Honda explained. "And why are you so worried about dirtying your bed anyway?"

"It's my haven. And anyway, that explains the videos... I'll think about it if it's not my bed."

"Well, next, you get to it. For comfort it'll be recommended to apply lubricant. Kaiba would no doubt know where to get them, but if you need I can get them for you too."

That was way too personal, Jounouchi almost blushed again. "I'm sure Kaiba has them."

"Okay. Now the major part. If you get the top, which I doubt that with Kaiba you can, just do it as you would do to a girl. If you get the bottom, lie there and try to relax."

Jounouchi blinked. "And then?"

"It's gonna hurt for the first time. And you probably won't walk properly and do your toilet business painlessly for a few days afterwards. Ask Kaiba to go easy on you."

Jounouchi frowned. Pain was something he could take, and he had sort of expected it. He just needed someone to confirm his thoughts. "Why are you assuming that Kaiba would get the top?"

Honda appeared surprised.

"Height factor. He's taller than you." Honda explained and then added, "And stronger."

"Yeah, but he's heavier too." Jounouchi argued.

"Obviously he's more dominating." Honda finally said.

"I'm not going to play the bitch."

"Alright, if you have enough stamina, both of you can take turns."

"Good, that was what I was hoping to hear."

"But, for the first time, he still has to take the top." Honda reminded. "So he can show you what you're suppose to do. Plus, he definitely has the experience to prepare you well."

Prepare? That sounded like someone garnishing.

"Uh huh. Go on."

"Most people get completely wasted after once, but if you want to go twice, I guess it's okay."

"You and Bakura?" Jounouchi swallowed whatever embarrassment he felt.

"Rarely do we go twice. It's exhausting. But we have lots of toys."

"I'm afraid to ask, but I will anyway. Toys such as?"

Honda frowned, a tinge of redness working up his face.

"We have a full collection of chains and handcuffs, actually." The private investigator admitted grudgingly. "Ryou enjoys being chained up."

Nothing Jounouchi wanted to know, but he had asked for it.

"Uh huh..."

"A lot of whip cream, honey and hot chocolate."

"Uh..."

"We also have a whip..."

"..."

"Enough of me and Ryou. Back to the main topic. Anyway, at the end of it, I guess you just cuddle up and rest."

"I get the basic idea."

"When do you plan to make out with him?" Honda prompted.

"It won't be in the far future. Like I said, Kaiba's getting impatient."

"Mn... Are you going to move in with Kaiba?"

Jounouchi had to think about that.

* * *

  
"For starters, Jou was never homosexual in anyway until now." Yugi started.

"Start from the beginning from when I left." Kaiba snorted impatiently.

"Alright. Jou entered University of Domino City after graduation and took up veterinarian.

"He was the typical university boy, in and out of relationships with the start and end of each semester. Jou had a total of four serious girlfriends. At least, we consider them serious because they were the only ones Jou brought along for our gathering.

"Then there were also many half-hearted relationships that lasted barely weeks and one night-stands when he didn't have a girlfriend."

Kaiba snorted. He had heard the part from Jounouchi once, about him having countless girlfriends.

"Go on."

"Then came Seth and Jono's mother in Jou's third year in University. Jou was crazy about her. He wanted to marry her once he graduated."

"So I heard. She left."

"Yeah." Yugi confirmed. "Till this day we don't know why, maybe Jou does but he's not telling us. Then less than a year later, she showed up with the twins, left them with Jou and disappeared again."

"Katsuya's mad to be crazy about such irresponsible woman."

Yugi rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Anything else?" Kaiba asked. Yugi was one lousy story teller in his view. If that was all Yugi wanted to tell him - Jou's sex life that was the end of their conversation.

"Look. Jou is sleeping with Mai."

Kaiba snapped up at the name.

At a side, Bakura was snickering.

"Kujaku Mai?"

"Jou has been with her for a long time. But they are not exactly in a relationship. In Mai's own words, they get together every now and then, one night stand and then it's back to as if nothing happened."

"How would you know about that?" Kaiba snapped.

"Mai told Anzu herself." Yugi confessed. "And we always knew the two of them had something for one another."

"They were already sleeping together in the last year of our high school." Bakura piped.

"One night stands during the periods when Jou was unattached," Yugi added, "Before and even after Jono, Seth and Harpy were born."

Harpy.

The horror hit Kaiba like a tight slap across the face. "Katsuya is Harpy's father?"

* * *

  
"I don't know. We've never discussed it." Jounouchi told Honda. That was true, though they met and chat every morning during their second breakfast together; they had not once talked about the idea of living together.

"How about marriage?" Honda prompted.

"How about yourself? You and Bakura aren't married!"

"Actually, we are," Honda admitted sheepishly. "We got married last year when we were in Netherlands. But the certificate is not recognized here."

"You didn't tell us!"

"We didn't see the need to." Honda explained. "It was more of a symbol of commitment between the two of us rather than a certificate to show others that we were married. Ryou reminded me about it the day I got through with you. He threw the certificate, frame and all at me and threatened to divorce if I didn't stop my hopeless fantasies of being with you."

"Uh huh." Jounouchi sighed. "I don't know, we didn't talk about marriage either. The whole idea is just crazy."

"Absolutely."

* * *

  
He must had looked completely horrified and distressed enough for Yugi to frown and peer at him worryingly.

"No, Kaiba." The shorter man quickly pacified. "I don't think Harpy is Jou's daughter."

"Then who is Harpy's father? I didn't see any men item in Mai's apartment." Kaiba demanded. It was taking all of his control not to lose his temper.

Yugi and Bakura glanced at one another.

"Actually, neither do we know." Yugi finally admitted. "Mai never told us."

"What?"

"In her own words: what we don't know won't hurt us." Bakura piped.

"Have trust in Jou." Yugi reminded. "Jou never claimed that Harpy was his either."

"Considering that the mutt and Mai are on such good terms, I see no reason why they hadn't gotten married in the first place." Kaiba spoke through clenched teeth.

"That would seem like a marriage of convenience, so that Mai can be the mother of the three kids, and Jou the father." Yugi reasoned.

"That would be the best arrangement in the whole world, wouldn't it?" Kaiba asked bitterly.

"You're jealous." Bakura smirked. "You're worried that Jou is Harpy's father and you have to share him with them."

"I'm possessive of my belongings." Kaiba snapped.

"If Jou had been Harpy's father, I suppose they would have gotten married long ago." Yugi logic, "But they didn't. Jou is a responsible man."

"Complicated?" Bakura asked.

"Mn..." Kaiba gave a noncommittal grunt. What Yugi had just said was not something that had not crossed his mind since Yugi brought up the issue on Mai. The first time he had saw Harpy, the suspicions were already there. After all, the little girl was blonde and pretty like his little puppy, but then, so speaking of blonde, so was Mai.

Whatever the case, Kaiba was starting to see the reason Yugi and Bakura had him here in the café and were telling him about Jounouchi's past.

It was a game.

A game of trust and his commitment to his and Jou's relationship.

He assumed he had passed the first part with flying colors, flashing the contracts stating the transfer of two percent of Kaiba Corp's share to Jounouchi to prove his commitment. Now, the second part of the challenge was a test on his trust towards Jounouchi, and so far, he didn't seem to be doing very good.

Kaiba frowned. He didn't have to prove his commitment and trust to Yugi and Bakura, but he would never turn down or lose a challenge either.

He eyed his opponents warily. Yugi was looking at him expectantly while Bakura was stirring his glass of juice with a straw absently.

"I know what you're getting to." Kaiba said calmly. "If Jou was really Harpy's father, he would have told me such an important news right from the start."

Yugi relaxed.

"I knew you would see through the scheme." He finally said, smiling gently.

"Anything else?" Kaiba asked nonchalantly.

"Yes." Yugi paused, thought for a while before continuing. "You're the first person Jou is dating seriously since he the twins' mother left."

"So?"

Yugi shrugged, "Just thought you might want to know."

Kaiba shook his head and stood up. It was apparent the conversation had come to an end. He had passed the test, there was nothing more he wanted to know from Yugi and neither did Yugi or Bakura looked like they had anything more to offer.

"Thanks for coming down." Yugi thanked him.

"Mn..."Kaiba merely grunted, collected his items are left the coffee shop.

* * *

  
"You're meeting Kaiba later?" Honda asked curiously.

"Yeah. Our weekly date, fourth date." Jounouchi informed through gulps of his drink. "I've got to run. Shizuka's gonna kill me for being so late for work."

"Shizuka doesn't seem very happy about you and Kaiba together." Honda commented.

That, Jounouchi had to agree. Shizuka was clearly upset about the gay relationship. Otogi had commented briefly about her reaction a few days back, that Shizuka was actually quite hurt by the idea of her brother in a gay relationship, probably an aftermath of the Bakura and Honda incident.

"She's trying to accept it." Jounouchi finally said.

"I suppose it has something to do with me dumping her for Bakura." Honda said apologetically.

"I guess so, but don't worry about it, she'll get over it sooner of later." Jounouchi paused. "She has to somehow."

"Are you planning to sleep with Kaiba tonight?" Honda asked as Jounouchi stood up and prepared to leave.

"I'll think about it." Jounouchi answered over his shoulder.

* * *

  
Jounouchi had long forgotten about Honda's issue about sleeping with Kaiba eight hours later.

He was currently standing in the lift apprehensively watching the levels go by. The people living here must be damned rich, he figured. Heck, the lift stopped at every floor and each storey of the apartment had a different color theme and decorations.

Nonetheless, as the lift ascended, he couldn't help but shift about from foot to foot nervously. He hated lifts, especially those with look through glass panels which could allow him to see the waiting hall of the different levels. Horror movies and ghost stories always featured monsters with long horrifying hair or children with pale and eyeless faces standing by the waiting room preying on their victims. He hated such movies but Shizuka had always forced him to watch them with her. Now as he stared out of the lift's glass panel, he could feel the hairs on the back of his hair standing.

And it definitely didn't help that his destination was the top level of the building – the pen house. He would have preferred climbing all the way up if the building hadn't been a lofty thirty levels high. He had given up after twelve stories, after passing the danger zones of the fourth and tenth storey...

He focused his thoughts on Kaiba. Thinking about Kaiba would help, he decided. Kaiba had given him the address of the apartment where they had met when picking up the kids from school. The apartment was one of the most lavish and exorbitant one in Domino City,. They hadn't had much chance to talk then since it had been raining and the school was filled with parents picking up their respective children.

Kaiba had looked absolutely exhausted and Jounouchi wasn't too surprised on his part. Kaiba had informed him that he had a whole chain of online meetings that day which lasted some eight hours. That meant that they would probably be just lazing around watching movies and talking.

The lift stopped and cool air greeted Jounouchi as the door parted.

Only when he saw the huge oak door did it dawn to Jounouchi that there was only one apartment on the level. Just where did Kaiba get the apartment anyway? But then of course, Kaiba probably owned dozens of houses all around the world.

Jounouchi was proceeding to find the door bell when the door opened automatically.

Talk about technology, Jounouchi mused as he kicked off his shoes, stepped inside and was instantly pulled into a bear hug.

"Lost your way puppy? You took such a long time coming up." Kaiba whispered into his ear as he touched the puppy's face tenderly. Jounouchi returned a hug but almost flinched from the coldness of Kaiba's hand.

"Your hands are cold." Jounouchi complained as Kaiba took his briefcase and chucked it on a side table beside the couch together with another metal one.

He took a moment to observe the little act. It was amusing. It was almost a perfect picture of a loving couple - The husband coming home to be greeted by a loving wife who was preparing dinner for him then waiting on him, except that, he knew Kaiba was actually the one who was supposed to take the male lead. But still, he was happy with the illusion of control for now as Kaiba pressed him down onto the couch by his shoulders...

"They get cold when I'm hungry, and that's only because I was waiting for a particular someone to arrive. Sit here." Kaiba teased and pulled himself off him, strolling to the kitchen which was separated from the living room only by a wine bar.

"Hey I'm starving too. I had to suffer watching Seth and Jono eat their burgers while my stomach was growling." Jounouchi argued, flipping over and leaning on the backrest of the couch to watch Kaiba, who was currently before the stove stirring something in the pan. It came only as a mild surprise to Jounouchi that Kaiba could cook. They had cooking lessons back in high school, and Kaiba had always topped all his subjects including that domestic lesson. "So, what are you preparing?"

"Fettuccine Bolognese."

Jounouchi wrinkled his nose. "Er... was that English?"

"Italian. Haven't you eaten spaghetti before?"

"Yeah, but I seldom –" Jounouchi started, moving off the couch to see Kaiba's cooking.

"Stay on the couch." Kaiba ordered immediately.

"But I want to see what you're making."

"Stay."

Jounouchi frowned but followed his boyfriend's orders obediently. Now he knew how Joey always felt when the puppy was ordered to stay at the door when they were going out.

He busied himself with the television, surfing through channels until he was satisfied with the current channel that was showing reruns of last seasons' Duel Monster cartoons.

His stomach growled for the umpteenth time and he threw one glance to the kitchen again. Good. Kaiba was making his way over now, with a plate of something in his hands. Whatever it was, it smelt excellent.

He waited patiently for Kaiba to arrange the plate and some beverages on the low table in front the couch, taking the chance to grope the guy with his eyes - the smooth pale chest under the shirt, long fingers that were graceful yet strong. He loved seeing Kaiba in work suit, not when it was neatly pressed and tidy but when the cuffs were loosened and the top two buttons of his dark blue shirt front undone. Kaiba's clothes were always fit and snug where they should be. But then again, that was expected since the brunette had his own tailored clothes which always bear the trademark 'KC'. He took a moment more to linger his gaze at Kaiba's neck, briefly recalling the few moments of nibbling on it.

Finally, Kaiba snuggled up onto the couch beside him, maneuvering him to a spot where Jounouchi was comfortably tucked between the backrest of the large couch and Kaiba. But that also meant that Jounouchi couldn't reach the food unless Kaiba helped him.

"Food." Jounouchi demanded and watched in amusement as Kaiba obediently picked up the plate, forked out the spaghetti and fed it to him.

"We are going to take hours to finish that if we eat it this way." Jounouchi teased between mouthfuls of spaghetti.

Kaiba shrugged, forking up another web of spaghetti and feeding himself this time. "We have all night."

"Is this your apartment?"

"No. It belongs to Kaiba Corporation. It serves as an employee accommodation for employees of Kaiba Corp."

"Working in Kaiba Corp sounds great. What other services do you provide?"

"What services do I or Kaiba Corp provide?" Kaiba asked, shoving a fork full of spaghetti into Jounouchi's mouth.

"Hot." Jounouchi winced. "Let's start with Kaiba Corp."

"Free annual Medical Check-ups, highly subsidized medical fees, apartment rentals, company cars at low price, a clubhouse with sports, martial arts, gym, game facilities, spa, pool..., free entrance passes and air tickets to Kaiba Lands all over the world, tickets on Kaiba Line Cruises, extreme high pay, a flirtatious vice-CEO, a very pressurizing boss and his pestering hyperactive kid."

"Uh huh." Jounouchi barely processed any thing that Kaiba said, too busy watching Kaiba's lips, but he did come to one conclusion. Working in Kaiba Corp was hell and heaven. "And what do YOU provide?"

"Home cooked Fettuccine," Kaiba started, pushing another forkful of spaghetti into his hungry puppy's mouth. "A bottle of ninety-nine year old wine, a get-away from the twins for the moment, kissing, hugging, bedding and me."

"Uh huh." Jounouchi swallowed whatever was left in his mouth and glanced over at his lover who was feeding himself. This was one side of Kaiba he never expected he would see.

Kaiba wasn't frowning or glaring at him, he was simply like any other guy off the street, except sexier and richer.

Kaiba actually cooked for him and fed him, Kaiba was...

Gentle, affectionate.

Like a human.

"Seto," Jounouchi asked as Kaiba finished chewing and was spinning up another web of spaghetti on the fork. "Can you smile?"

* * *

  
Kaiba frowned, unsure of where the conversation was leading to.

"What kind of a question is that?" He asked as he stuffed his lover's mouth with food. Jounouchi looked absolutely like a cute puppy. Maybe he should get one for Kisara. Kisara had been bugging him for one since the day Mokuba took her to Puppy Love

"Didn't Mokuba or Kisara ever tell you? You frown too much." His lover remarked and reached his hands out to Kaiba's hand and stuck them at the corners of Kaiba's mouth, pulling Kaiba's lips into an awkward smile.

"I do smile," Kaiba protested sluggishly, pulling away from Jounouchi's fingers, "Occasionally."

"That's the word, occasionally." Jounouchi argued. "Like just now-"

"I was smiling, until you asked me to smile." Kaiba sent his web of spaghetti into his own mouth obstinately. What was his puppy getting to now?

"No you weren't." Jounouchi objected. "Your face was blank."

"You didn't catch it." Kaiba answered, as he started spinning another web of noodles. "I was smiling."

"Fine, maybe I didn't recognize your smile." Jounouchi reached for Kaiba's hand and spooned the fork into his mouth.

"But it boils down to one thing." Jounouchi continued between his chews. "I didn't recognize it because you don't do it often enough."

"Mn..." Kaiba frowned.

"The last time I actually saw you grin was at Mai's place." Jounouchi finally said. "You should do it more often. You should practice."

Practice?

"You're starting to sound demented." Kaiba remarked as he forked up the last bit of the spaghetti and stuck it into Jounouchi's mouth.

"No, seriously, Seto."

Kaiba whined silently as his warm lover bounced off his lap to retrieve a small wall mirror hanging on the wall.

Kaiba was frowning even harder when Jounouchi bounced back onto the couch into his seat and held the mirror in front of the two of them so that they were both staring into the mirror.

"When you're not frowning, you're smirking, when you're not smirking, your face is blank."

Quite true. Kaiba noted. Smirking and frowning were his trademarks. "Mpf."

"SMILE! SETO!" Jounouchi instructed as he grinned at their reflections in the mirror.

Kaiba stared into the mirror hesitantly.

"Alright, you don't have to grin, just do a normal smile. Like the ones you usually give Mokuba and Kisara." Jounouchi ordered.

Easy for the puppy to say. How was he supposed to just smile like that?

"I can't just smile like this. Smiles come naturally." Kaiba protested.

"Natural you say," Jounouchi piped.

Before Kaiba realized what was happening, Jounouchi was on top of him, his lips pressing down on his. He could feel Jounouchi's warmth breathe on his nose and the tomato-ish taste of the spaghetti on his lips.

A corner of his mouth started twitching.

Jounouchi pulled a short distance away and grinned back at him teasingly.

"Does this help?"

Kaiba couldn't help but grin back.

"Absolutely."

Jounouchi flipped onto his back, apparently satisfied and squeezed into the space between the backrest and Kaiba, resting his pretty little head on Kaiba's chest.

"We should do this more often." Kaiba finally commented.

"Do what?" Jounouchi was again staring into the mirror, watching their reflections. It seemed Jounouchi enjoyed staring at the both of them in the mirror together.

"Practice."

Jounouchi frowned," I thought you just said I was demented."

"Then so am I." Kaiba answered. "Stop frowning."

"Your frown is contagious." Jounouchi protested as he frowned hard into the mirror.

"That's not mine, it doesn't look anything like mine." Kaiba argued.

"It is yours!"

"No, the Kaiba frown is more sophisticated than you think." Kaiba lectured, "Your eyes got to be fiercer, and your lips should be pulled tight."

He watched as Jounouchi widened his eyes, pulled back his jaws and tried to imitate a frown.

"You have to let all your fury concentrate in your eyes." He guided.

"Easy for you to say. I haven't got as much wrath as you."

"No. Not like that. Your eyes are crossed. Look straight."

"I'm trying!"

"Frown." Kaiba ordered, trying to stifle an uncontrollable laughter.

"This is ridiculous, why am I trying to master your frown?" Jounouchi finally threw down the mirror, "My face is tired."

"Fine. Put the mirror back to its original place."

Jounouchi rolled his eyes but obligingly returned the mirror to the wall.

"So what happened today?" Jounouchi asked absently as he returned to the couch.

Kaiba sat up and reached for the bottle of red liquid on the coffee table, deliberating over whether to tell Jounouchi about his earlier conversation with Yugi and Bakura. He wasn't sure if Yugi had and would inform Jounouchi about their meeting.

"Numerous meetings with imbeciles who have no idea what they want." Kaiba answered, deciding that the answer wasn't too far from the truth, "You?"

"Work as usual." Jounouchi answered smoothly. "You hesitated answering my question, are you seeing someone else?"

Kaiba almost laughed at that.

"What do you take me for? No. You?"

"Not currently." Jounouchi teased.

"That is Mai - inclusive?" Kaiba asked testily.

Jounouchi looked at him blankly before chuckling, "You're worried."

"Mn?" Kaiba poured the drink into glasses.

"That Mai and I-"

Kaiba spun around and pressed the glass to his mouth. "Forget it. I trust you."

"Really?" Jounouchi grinned back at him and gulped down the drink. "Mai and I together would make one happy family."

"You wouldn't." Kaiba smirked. "You can't resist me. I'm Domino City's richest, most powerful and no doubt the most charming man with the most gorgeous body."

Jounouchi looked most amused, "Please add the most egoistic into your list too."

Kaiba ignored the remark happily and filled Jounouchi's glass again. Egoist or confident, it didn't matter, he was certain Jounouchi wouldn't dump him. What better man could Jounouchi find in the entire Domino City?

"What wine is this?" Jounouchi gazed at the drink quizzically.

"Actually it's just pure grape juice." Kaiba admitted as he poured himself a glass. "I can't take alcohol, remember?"

"It's good, still." Jounouchi answered as he took another gulp.

Kaiba took the chance to reach for his metal briefcase and retrieved a set of papers and a pen. This was either the highlight of the night's date, or the downfall of it.

"Sign this." He instructed as he handed the papers to the surprised puppy.

"What's this?" Jounouchi asked as he skimmed through the passages, his eye widening as he flipped through the pages.

"Seto, this is..."

"Three percent of Kaiba Corp's shares." Kaiba answered patiently. "I'm giving two percent to you. The twins get point five percent each. They can sell it or use it for any purpose once they reach sixteen."

"But why?" Jounouchi looked at him incredulously.

"Just sign it." Kaiba replied, irately. Why couldn't the puppy just accept it, no questions asked?

"I can't take this!" Jounouchi protested.

"I'm offering this only to you." Kaiba hissed. "Sign it."

When Jounouchi once again refused, choosing instead to stare at the television, Kaiba fished a stamp pad out of his briefcase and met it at Jounouchi's thumb. He had come prepared for such reaction from Jounouchi.

Jounouchi was completely squeamish and squeaking when Kaiba picked up the paper and forced his thumb on to the paper.

Done. Jounouchi was now officially bound to him by the two percent of Kaiba Corp's shares.

Satisfied, he smirked and replaced the papers back into his briefcase, locking it quickly so that Jounouchi could not destroy them.

"Kaiba!" Jounouchi was now howling at him in uncertain fury, jumping on the couch.

"Seto." Kaiba reminded and pulled the screeching monkey down beside him. Heck, he loved making Jounouchi frenzy.

"You are so crazy." Jounouchi hissed.

"Maybe." Kaiba planted a light kiss on his puppy's nose before motioning to the empty plate. "You want more?"

Jounouchi shook his head. "Later."

It took several minutes before the two of them were once again settled back on the couch leaning against one another peacefully, enjoying each other's company. It seemed Jounouchi had given up the idea of trying to retrieve the documents and destroying them, Kaiba noted. Or else, his puppy had to be plotting some other ways to get rid of the briefcase.

"You're particularly static today." Jounouchi remarked. "Usually you're busy kissing and hugging me. Not that I'm complaining. I'm fine with this."

"I'm exhausted." Kaiba answered listlessly, "Kaiba Corp is a madhouse."

"Maybe you should tell your employees that." Jounouchi kidded.

"Mnn."

"The kids are in a play, you know that?" Jounouchi reminded.

"Mn." Kaiba acknowledged with a light nod. "Kisara announced it yesterday over dinner. She got the female lead. The twins got the male leads."

"I've been wondering. Why did you adopt Kisara?"

Kaiba frowned.

"She's not my only kid."

Jounouchi's eyes widened to saucers.

"She is what...?"

The shocked look on Jounouchi's face was almost priceless. Note to self; give puppy more surprise tidbits in near future.

"She's not the only one. I have another two hundred plus kids under my name."

Kaiba could swear that Jounouchi would have hit the floor if he was standing.

* * *

  
"Uh huh...?" Jounouchi answered dazedly, struggling to imagine two hundred kids called Kaiba 'father'.

"I adopted them all in the last six years. Then I found good homes for those below twenty years old or sponsored them education fees, houses and living expenses." Kaiba explained.

"Oh..."

"Kisara is the only one I brought home." Kaiba went on. "I don't know why either. She was special. Mokuba and I found her in Egypt."

"Okay..." It finally made sensed to Jounouchi.

"Speaking of Mokuba," Kaiba paused for a yawn before continuing. "He's having this beach house getaway next weekend, it's at a secluded beach belonging to Kaiba Corp. He's inviting the whole group along."

Jounouchi raised a brow. To think that Kaiba was willing to go on a trip with all of them. The heavens must be weeping for the miracle.

"The whole group as in, everyone?" He asked.

Another yawn from Kaiba.

"Yeah, I guess so. Yugi, Anzu, Bakura, Honda, Mai, Otogi, Shizuka, the kids, etc..." Kaiba droned on mindlessly, "He said he got a special guest for us."

"Guest?" Jounouchi echoed. Lying on Kaiba's chest, he could feel Kaiba's breathing shallow and his heartbeat slowing down, Kaiba was drifting off to Never Never Land.

"Mn..." Kaiba grunted.

"I thought we agreed on going home after every date?" Jounouchi grumbled.

No response.

He poked the sleeping man a few times, but his attempts were hopeless and resulted in only a few more incomprehensible murmurs. A sleeping Seto was like a rock. His eyes stole their way to Kaiba's briefcase on the floor and one hand reached over to pull it over. Minutes of unsuccessful attempts at opening the briefcase left him tired. He was almost on his way to get a chainsaw from his car when he finally gave up. He didn't want to take the lift down alone. It was almost midnight and something may be lingering there.

He turned to stare at Kaiba sleeping. Might as well go with the flow, he figured. He was tired too, after hours of flipping through the two books and giving himself paranoid attacks whenever Shizuka appeared to be coming into the vet where he was committing the little reading. He could just nap for an hour or so, then wake Kaiba and go home.

He snuggled closer to Kaiba, burying his face into Kaiba's chest, knowing that his embraces would not wake his sleeping lover up. The air-con that was blowing full fluff at him was starting to work shivers down him, and he was too unwilling to leave the couch to grab the remote control that was hanging by the doorway. Moreover, Kaiba's body heat was absolutely warming and comforting.

Breathing in cinnamon, he fell asleep on Kaiba's chest...

_To be continued_

* * *

**Authors' Comments:**

1) Thank you to silverkitty252 and youko-moon for pointing out Seto's birthday for us. Yep, we checked. Seto's birthday is 25th October and Katsuya's birthday is 25th January. But take note, Kaiba is still older than Jounouchi by one year because lessons start in April, during Spring in Japan.

2) To joey baby, second and third reviews are always welcomed!

3)To Animefighter6. The anime and manga haven't exactly ended, so we don't know what happened to them in the end. Since this story took place twelve years after YGO, we are assuming that they fused together, but it's not really that important. Still, you can see tints of Yami in Yugi and Bakura in Ryou. And the millennium items, we have no idea what happened to them, so just assume there are stored away in some storeroom or with Isis in Egypt until the final manga come out where we live next month and we can decide what to do with them.

2) Thank you to all reviewers and supporters! So far, no flames and we are very happy about it. Our sincere appreciation towards TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar aka Firey Kitty, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa- chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6, K.M.A, ArticaMarsial, Konniwa, Sly Kitsune, silverKitty2525, Macbeth's Mistress, Dragna Vey, sapphire-wolf1, Johnny-Depp-Luv, Slate Grey, Abyssinian Rose, Midnight Ember and many more who has yet to leave a name, for your support!


	15. Chapter 13: Weekend Getaway

**Family of Dragons**

A Kaiba is WHAT Productions

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 13**  


* * *

  
It was a Saturday mid afternoon and the sun was blazing furiously. Four cars lined in a straight row like a caterpillar train were cruising along the highway, the ocean visible on one side of the road.

But inside the cars, the temperatures were a cool eighteen degrees.

Four hours and countless rounds of "The Song That Doesn't End" were driving Jounouchi up the wall as his Outlander turned into a small sandy road, following three other cars before him. It was disappointing that Kaiba's car was in the lead and his was at the rear of the line and he couldn't see Kaiba, but Kaiba had to be at the front to lead the four cars and he had somehow wound up falling behind because he had four heavy chock-full kids at the back of his car.

And much to his dismay, the song was repeating itself all over again.

"This is the song that doesn't eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeend..." The song had gone a notch higher than previously, again, and even louder. The voices bounced off the glass windows and amplified at his ears. Whining silently, he had a nagging feeling that the song's silly lyrics and melody would be stuck in his head for the rest of the day.

He wound down the window, hoping to filter out the kids' singing and screaming. Seth and Jono's voice were almost hoarse. That was good. That meant they would probably stop in another fifteen minutes or so. But Harpy and Kisara, the two little shriekers, were still singing at full blast and one key away from breaking his car windows.

"And it goes oooooon and oooooooooon, my frieeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnd!"

And no wonder Kaiba had looked so relieved when he had agreed to take Kisara in his car so that the blue-eyed little girl could have Seth, Jono and Harpy for companions, even if it meant having the four of them squeeze into his back seat.

"Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it for eeeeverrrrr just because..." Harpy and Kisara screeched.

Note to self, the kids get to take Kaiba's car when they are going home.

"This is the song that doesn't eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnddddd"

Jounouchi sighed.

Well, at least they weren't asking the question 'Are we there yet?' Jounouchi was sure he would blow if they started that.

He sniffed the air. Damp and salty with a bit of Mai's perfume. He glanced over to see a sleepy Mai with her head resting against the window. The wind seemed to refresh her briefly.

"We are reaching." He commented briefly.

Mai nodded, not speaking but continued watching the passing scenery. She had been rather quiet since the trip begun. In fact, now to think of it, Jounouchi realised Mai hadn't talked to him since she got onto the car.

The last time they had spoken to each other was two nights ago, when Mai, not wanting to drive, had called him to arrange the car seating plans, and even that conversation had been rather pithy.

"Mai?"

Mai raised her head slightly, her sweet flowery fragrant overwhelming Jounouchi instantly. But that sweetness seemed to have lost its effect on him. He had used to like it, but now, it seemed cinnamon was more appealing.

"Jou, are you free tonight?"

It was a bare whisper with the din of the noise the children were making. But Jounouchi's keen ears caught the question and he eyed his friend cum occasional-lover cautiously.

Was that what he believed he had heard?

An invitation – to her bed?

Wait. Harpy was sharing a room with Mai, so unless –

"Harpy can sleep with Yugi's kids." Mai added quietly.

So Mai was suggesting something here. He glanced over hesitantly.

"I'm with Seto, you know that."

Mai barely flinched. Had he spoken too soft?

A sigh.

So she must have heard.

"I know. But just tonight? I promise I'll return you to him in one piece tomorrow."

"Seto would kill me, and you too." Jounouchi warned, and right after he spoke that, he could not help feeling like dirt for even considering Mai's invitation.

Mai was a good friend, a great woman and definitely a fun lover in bed. They tolerated each other's own love affairs and it was true that back in high school, Mai really mattered a lot to him, even till now. But now that he was with Kaiba, pitifully Mai had lost her place in his heart. Seto Kaiba did not share, even if Jounouchi did. And somehow, the idea of sleeping with Mai now would seem to be out of compassion. And he knew Mai hated being pitied.

"Mai. You will always be one woman I love. But I can't..." He stole a glance at the four kids who were still deep in singing and making hand prints all over his windows, "I can't sleep with you, now that I'm with Kaiba."

Mai looked absolutely crushed - enough to make Jounouchi go soft from inside out- but just for a second before a half smile twitched at the corner of Mai's lips, "Boy, Jou, you really are easy to tease!"

Jounouchi almost swerved out of control, "What?"

"Bakura had me to trick you. And you fell for it again! That look on your face was as good as the one you had when you thought I was dead in Battle City!"

Jounouchi felt a scowl creeping up his face, but relief was filling in too - that it was a joke, as well as that Mai was taking things well if it hadn't been a joke...

"You had me totally tricked." Jounouchi admitted, trying to sound totally convinced. But Mai was too busy laughing to notice his worries or relief.

Kaiba's car stopped before a bungalow and, beyond the house and some coconut trees, the borderless ocean was in view.

Jounouchi lined the car beside Yugi's and killed the engine. Seth, Jono, Kisara and Harpy were more than fast as they kicked open the door and scampered away swifter than Jounouchi could whine about his new scratched car.

"Well, here we are." He said as Mai sat unmoving. He could see Kaiba disappearing into the house, and the others following him. If they didn't follow soon. Someone, most particularly a particular Kaiba, was bound to suspect.

Finally Mai turned and looked at him, "Look Jou. I'm happy for you to be with Kaiba and I'm thankful for all those good times we had together. I had you for so many years and that's enough. Just don't tell Kaiba I did this."

Before Jounouchi could answer, a quick kiss was planted on his lips before Mai pulled away with a half smirk.

"Consider this completely my doing." Mai smiled.

"And I resolve you of all guilt, Saint Jou." She added before getting off the car, leaving a dazed Jounouchi to sit at the wheel.

* * *

  
Kaiba was still disgruntled about the car arrangements when he got to his room and started unpacking Kisara's clothes.

The trip had ended up with seventeen people, with nine adults and eight kids. It was a far larger number of people than he had wished to deal with. The best arrangement would have been, just him and Jounouchi, the kids, Mokuba and Mokuba's guest, which turned out to be Rebecca Hopkins; but of course, the trip was organised by Mokuba, and Mokuba always believed in 'the more the merrier'.

For Kaiba, it was more of 'three or more was a crowd'; seventeen was the recipe for disaster.

And speaking of the bespectacled American girl, Rebecca, she had spent the entire four hours of their trip sitting on Mokuba's lap while he drove in front like a ridiculous chauffeur.

Kaiba wasn't sure when Rebecca had hitched up with Mokuba, but from the look of the two of them glued together like fused slime, the lovebirds must had been around for a while.

Whatever the case, Kaiba wasn't going to chauffeur them on the way back. He had not minded the two of them kissing and cuddling, he could live with their intimate actions and Rebecca's constant 'darling's as long as they didn't start peeling off their clothes. But the fact that Mai Kujaku had taken his boyfriend's car still maddened him. The blonde lady hadn't want to take the four hour drive up to the beach and his puppy, always the innocent and silly puppy had offered to drive her up in his already jam- packed car.

Kaiba had spent his four hours watching his side mirror for any movements in Jounouchi's car and craning his neck to keep the puppy's Outlander in sight.

And now, his neck was going to ache for the rest of the day and he definitely had to find someway to get the puppy into his car on the way home.

Expertly removing the clothes that Kisara was bound to wear that day from the luggage bag, Kaiba considered Mai's motives again.

Was that actually a challenge? When Mai had wanted to take Jounouchi's car instead of driving herself?

Mai Kujaku had always been a strong-willed and sharp, if not, crafty, woman. And she had a history with his puppy, something that he didn't. Jounouchi could easily fall for her, again. This always called for some worries and disturbances.

Moreover, like Bakura had said, old crushes die hard and Jounouchi had really seemed to like her in the past.

Mph. He would have to come up with something to crush Mai completely of her...whatever she felt for his puppy, like what he did to Honda. A strip dance might not be good enough this round. Mai was probably better at it.

"Daddy!" Kisara interrupted his thoughts as she skipped in, "We broke our record!"

"Record of what?" Kaiba turned his attention to his beloved daughter.

"The Song That Doesn't End," Kisara pointed out quickly, "Harpy, Seth, Jono and I sang it all the way here for four hours! Longer than the time you drove me to the ski trip!"

"That's nice to hear." Kaiba smiled faintly, a profound sense of sympathy towards his puppy arising, "Where's Seth and Jono's daddy?"

Kisara shrugged innocently, "I haven't seen him since I got off the car. Daddy, can I go to the beach now? Harpy wants to show me how to make mud pies. Can I can I can I?"

Kaiba frowned. Domino City had been raining cats and dogs for the past entire week straight and Kisara hadn't been able to run around much, less say let off her overloading energy and pranks. Kisara was no doubt, currently, a burning case of cabin fever, ready to break out in absolute mischief as soon as Kaiba let her out of sight. And though she had appeared to behave rather well in Jounouchi's car during the trip here, Kaiba knew that Kisara had barely begun her obliteration.

Kisara's eyes were on him pleadingly.

Kaiba checked his watch. They had left home at ten in the morning sharp, and it was currently two in the afternoon, almost the hottest the day could get.

"It's too hot now. We'll go down to the beach later. You can go to the backyard and run about." And release some of that overloading energy and cabin fever, Kaiba thought silently.

"Boooooring."

"Start an Insect Grand Prix with Seth and Jono again." Kaiba suggested.

"Boooooring." Kisara folded her arms across her chest.

"Alright." Kaiba sighed. Arguing with her was futile. Besides, he could hear Yugi and Anzu preparing their kids to go to the beach. "Go change."

"Yippie!" Kisara gave a jubilant victory cry, grabbed her swim suit from the half-unpacked suitcase and scrambled off into the bathroom.

Kaiba took the opportunity to leave the room. The entrance was visible from the passageway as he strolled towards the stairs. His puppy was taking far too long to come in.

The door swung open, and in stumbled his puppy, with a luggage bag in tow.

Kaiba stepped forward, then halted, his eyes squinting momentarily before widening –

Lipstick.

On HIS puppy's lips.

Mai!

His feet led him down the stairs to his puppy, his eyes never leaving the inconspicuous lipstick blot.

Jounouchi was staring at him oddly, and then realization seemed to hit his puppy as he watched the shorter man quickly wipe away the lipsticks with the back of his hand.

Kaiba didn't know exactly how to react though there was a gut-wrenching sensation in his chest. He should never had left Jounouchi alone with Mai.

He walked over briskly and wiped the last evidences of the kiss away with his thumb, keeping his face straight, or what his puppy had labelled as blank.

"Seto –"

"The puppy has been stealing titbits behind my back." Kaiba remarked softly, but his words came colder than he had meant them to be.

"Mai wanted to thank me." Jounouchi explained.

More like she wanted to sleep with you, Kaiba seethed silently, before grabbing his lover's luggage and towing it away.

"Seto?" Jounouchi asked hesitantly.

"There are many more constructive ways to show appreciation, and her keeping her claws off you is one of them." Kaiba snorted.

"Mn...you're jealous." Jounouchi teased.

Kaiba digested the remark, but chose to ignore it for now as he frowned and led Jounouchi to his room.

The chalet was a spacious two stories manor with lofty ceiling and numerous French floor windows, giving it a bright yet breezy look. Kaiba favoured houses with room and living spaces – it gave him a sense of liberty and power, especially when he stared down at his possessions from the balcony and windows.

He brought Jounouchi to the room nearest to the kitchen. It wasn't the best room he would prefer to give his puppy, though Jounouchi looked absolutely thrilled to find his room so near to the refrigerator.

"Here's your room. My room with Kisara is directly upstairs. Mokuba and Rebecca, Honda and Bakura, Yugi, Anzu and their younger ones are taking the other three rooms on the second floor. You share with the twins. Mai and Harpy are sleeping across from you, and Yugi's 2 older kids are sleeping in the room beside yours." Kaiba dropped Jounouchi's bag onto the bed and proceeded to open the room's windows.

Damp salty air greeted him as his eyes involuntarily closed. God he loved the sea and what it did to him and Jounouchi, bringing them together like magic.

Kaiba shivered involuntarily as two warm arms wrapped themselves around his waist.

"Seto." Jounouchi purred into his back, smelling of Vanilla, "Are you mad at me?"

Pulling his puppy's arms around him tighter and grasping Jounouchi's hands with his own larger ones, Kaiba confessed "Not at you, at Mai."

Jounouchi buried his face into his back.

"Mai just dumped me," Jounouchi spoke softly, taking a deep breath of Kaiba before looking up.

Kaiba twisted his head around to find his puppy staring past him at the ocean. Was that sadness in those eyes?

"Katsuya..." Kaiba started to speak.

"You get to pick the dumped." Jounouchi continued, nose still buried in his shoulder.

"No, puppy." Kaiba corrected, "She lost and the winner gets the blonde puppy."

"I'm not a dog-" Jounouchi started but Kaiba silenced him quickly by spinning around and running a tongue down his puppy's nose.

"You are my puppy." He continued, nuzzling Jounouchi's forehead and planting a kiss on it.

Kaiba thought he heard Jounouchi chuckle.

Jounouchi leaned heavily onto him and started nuzzling and sniffing him on the neck.

"Sniffing?" Kaiba mumbled as he relaxed with Jounouchi's tongue advancing its way onto his neck and moving up to his face.

"A puppy's got to do what a puppy's got to do." Jounouchi stopped licking just enough to say all he wanted to say, his tongue continuing his way up.

To make up for their slight height difference, Kaiba lowered his head and allowed Jounouchi to lean fully on him

Jounouchi was on his tip-toes to lick up to Kaiba's eyelids.

"Dadd-"

The sudden interruption jolted Kaiba up straight. Before he could catch his lover, Jounouchi lost his balance, fell back and hit the floor on his bottom.

Seth and Jono stood at the doorway, looking absolutely stunned and embarrassed before they both forced a smile on their faces.

"Uh, can we go to the beach with Uncle Yugi?"

"Yeah...go." Jounouchi mumbled from his awkward position on the floor.

"Gone!" The two kids cheered and disappeared out the door.

Kaiba sighed.

"Sometimes I wonder if things would have turned out the same if we didn't have kids." He commented briefly as he pulled Jounouchi up into their prior positions.

Jounouchi shrugged, "We may have never met again."

Kaiba smirked, pulled Jounouchi to his side and nuzzled his ear, "Or maybe, we would have been done with the bed part already."

He planted a last kiss on Jounouchi's nose and pulled away, "Now go brush your teeth. I don't need any reminder of Mai's lipstick on you."

"Possessive, Seto."

Kaiba smirked and folded his arms, "I don't share."

"Undoubtedly."

* * *

  
Strolling down to the beach behind Anzu and Yugi, carrying buckets of waterproof duel monster dolls and spades, the seven kids, excluding Marik who was in Anzu's arms, were bouncing practically out of their shoes along the sands.

"Mommy told me that the three of you are in a school play." Mahaado prompted as he walked in line with Seth.

"Yeah." Seth nodded, "We are playing Dragon Lake, and Jono, Kisara and I got the major roles."

"That's so cool!" Harpy marvelled, "I wish my school allows our school play to be Dragon Lake. It's always the same Cinderella or Snow White story every year. Boooring!"

"What is Dragon Lake?" Isis asked from a side, holding on to Mahaado's swimming trunks and successfully yanking it down.

"It's a fairy tale." Harpy explained as Mahaado screeched away and snatched his trunks up again.

"A Duel Monster Tale." Seth corrected sternly. "The story is about a prince who was turned into a Blue Eyes White Dragon by the evil sorcerer, Tenacious Old Magician. He could only transform back into a human at night. Princess Holy Elf found him and they fell in love with each other."

"Eventually, Princess Holy Elf has to find a prince she likes, "Kisara piped, "Her parents holds a ball for her and she has to choose her groom from the ball."

"It's a love story?" Isis asked, "Dragon Lake sounds like a co... co me... comyde..."

"Comedy." Mahaado aided, pulling his purple swimming trunks up but failing against Isis's clutches.

"Hey, it's action packed too!" Jono declared, "There's a fighting scene near the end of the story! Blue Eyes White Dragon fights Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Noticing Isis's confused look, Seth explained, "Red Eyes Black Dragon is the sorcerer's apprentice who was sent to the ball disguised as the White Dragon prince after the bad guys locked away the real White Dragon. But the princess recognised the fake. The real White Dragon prince arrives in time to fight the Black Dragon."

"And the princess and the prince lived happily ever after?" Isis asked hopefully.

"Yup." Seth nodded.

"So I assume Kisara gets to be the princess?" Mahaado questioned.

Kisara sighed, "I wanted to be the White Dragon prince. They wouldn't let me!"

"You're a girl!"

"But I want to fight!"

Mahaado paused, his eyes widening as he stared at the taller girl, "Kisara, you're talking normal again."

Kisara beamed, "Of course! Otherwise they wouldn't have chosen me as the princess!"

"Oh okay. So who got to be the Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

"I got to." Jono replied sulkily and kicked the sand.

Mahaado stared at the taller boy in confusion, "It's the lead and you're not happy?"

"I wanted to be Red Eyes Black Dragon. He's cooler, plus there's a part of the story I don't like."

"It's just a play." Seth comforted.

"I'm gonna ask mommy to bring me to watch the play." Harpy remarked.

"We got a lot of free tickets." Seth piped, "The play will be in our school hall, some time a month from now."

"Okay." Mahaado nodded, "We'll go watch."

The kids paused as they watched their two guardians for the day set the picnic mat and large sunshade umbrellas on the sandy beach. They paid attention as Mahaado's daddy lined out the rules for them.

"Everyone puts on sun block lotion now. It's too hot now, we don't want people dying of sunstroke or complaining of skin peels later. Come back for drinks every now and then, we've got a lot of ice water and juices. And you're not allowed to go into water any deeper than your chest." He instructed.

"Aye aye!" The notorious older bunch, Harpy, Kisara, Jono, Seth and Mahaado shouted enthusiastically as they started kicking off in the sand, forgetting their prior reminder about sun block lotions and ice juices in just seconds.

* * *

  
Jounouchi had brushed his teeth twice, changed into his beachwear and explored the whole manor when he found Kaiba sleeping in his room on the second floor.

Kaiba. Sleeping.

The corner of Jounouchi's lips twitched and he strolled across the room to Kaiba's bed where he stared at the sleeping form.

When Kaiba slept, he didn't look like a dragon.

He definitely didn't look like the intimidating, possessive, strong dragon - the image that was always projected to Jounouchi. Nope, Kaiba looked more like an innocent, sleeping puppy who was completely at peace with the world, with beautiful brown hair falling gently over the forehead and cool sea-breeze blowing at him despite the warm summer weather.

Jounouchi quietly laid himself onto the king-sized bed beside his lover, careful not to wake him up. The last time he had seen Kaiba sleep was during the last date at Kaiba Corporation's employee welfare apartment, and even then he had not taken much notice of his lover's sleeping looks.

He inched towards his lover's sleeping form and poked at the man's lips teasingly.

"Setooooo!" Jounouchi whispered into his ear.

Kaiba was dead as a road kill.

A sleeping Seto Kaiba was akin to a wall, he had found on the previous date.

"Seeeetttooooooo!" Jounouchi hissed, loud enough to wake the dead, or at least, jolt them.

Kaiba barely flinched.

Jounouchi frowned.

It was totally beyond him how Mokuba or alarm clocks got Kaiba up on time. But then again, Kaiba didn't seem to need reminders to wake up at 7am sharp every morning, having the capability of waking up miraculously at seven am sharp. He had discovered that the same day at the apartment. They had not made it home that day, instead both had slept through the entire night, until Kaiba shook him awake the next morning just as the clock struck seven.

"SETOOOO!" Jounouchi tried the last time.

No response.

A corner of Jounouchi's mouth turned up wickedly.

There had to be some way to wake him up.

He crawled closer up and climbed onto his lover's legs, straddling them as he prepared himself for the attack.

Kaiba was so going to enjoy it, or at least, one of them would.

Gulping down whatever uncertainty he had, Jounouchi testily poked his lover on the side.

Kaiba grunted slightly.

Jounouchi paused in his actions, waiting to see if his lover was awake.

Nope, Kaiba was still out.

Bracing himself for any outburst that could result from his actions, Jounouchi stuck his fingers to his lover's side and started what he was best at - tickling.

The expression on Kaiba's face was priceless as the brunette's blue eyes snapped opened instantly.

Jounouchi took that as the cue to intensify his attack, tickling the brunette all over his side. Kaiba was all squirming and chuckling helplessly underneath him, pushing his hands and struggling to get up feebly. Kaiba being so tickling was something he had not anticipated.

"No! Stop— Pup—"

Nope, he wasn't going to stop. Kaiba looked like he could use some more laughter.

"Say that you love me." Jounouchi ordered, smirking, his hands tickling down the twisting brunette's side.

"No. You—love—me—" Kaiba gasped between his laughs, absolutely frantic at the tickling.

Jounouchi pulled a face and immediately launched another intensified attack on Kaiba's side.

"Say I love Katsuya." Jounouchi teased, watching Kaiba jerked involuntarily as he proceeded to tickling him on the stomach.

"I—love Katsu-don" Kaiba managed to gasped before reducing to a mass of uncontrollable fits of laughter.

Jounouchi gave up and released Kaiba from his torment.

Still sitting atop Kaiba, he sat up and grinned at his smiling lover.

"Get up. I want to go to the beach."

"Permission granted. Go." Kaiba yawned, stretching himself sluggishly.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "I didn't come to ask your permission. When I said that I want to go to the beach, I meant that WE are going to the beach."

"You're starting to sound like a woman." Kaiba teased.

"Haven't you slept enough?"

"I drove for four hours. I'm tired."

"So did Yugi, Honda and me." Jounouchi rested his hands on his hips, "And I had to deal with four hyper kids who were sugar high from their lunch. Who's more tired?"

"Try dealing with a bunch of incompetent employees until early four this morning." Kaiba shot back, but looking seemingly more awake.

Jounouchi glared down at his smiling lover, whose eyes were wandering over his topless body at his tanned skin.

Showing Kaiba his two index fingers, Jounouchi threatened. "You want more?"

"No." Kaiba replied nonchalantly, reaching up to touch Jounouchi's smooth skin.

Jounouchi flinched as Kaiba's cool fingertips came in contact and instantly bounced off his lover's legs.

"Your hands are cold." He complained and hopped off the bed.

Kaiba pulled himself to a sitting position, swung his long legs off the bed, and grabbed Jounouchi's hand before Jounouchi could scramble away, "I'm hungry."

"We had lunch on the way here." Jounouchi reminded, "You had katsu-don."

"Yes." Kaiba smirked, "But I want a Katsu-ya now."

Jounouchi gave a yelp as the taller brunette pulled him into Kaiba's lap.

"Let's continue what we were doing before the twins barged in just now, shall we?" Kaiba growled at his ear.

"We weren't on the bed just now." Jounouchi tried to move off, "Plus, I want to go to the beach and Yugi and Honda are waiting."

"Let them wait. They'll know why we are not there. Besides, we have the entire house to ourselves..."

"Darling"

Jounouchi fell off Kaiba's lap as Rebecca popped a head into Kaiba's room.

"Dar- oops." The young lady grinned, "I got the wrong room. Sorry."

The girl then disappeared out of the room, sticking her tongue out.

Jounouchi shook his head in amusement as Kaiba pulled him back onto his feet, "Looks like we're going to get a lot of interruption today, Set -"

"By the way," Rebecca stuck a head in again, "Bakura and Honda are waiting for the both of you to start a beach ball competition."

Kaiba sighed. That was enough interruptions for the day already.

"We'll be there in a few minutes." Jounouchi nodded and Rebecca excused herself purposefully.

"This is worst than back at Domino city." Kaiba complained, "We can't even have a few moments to ourselves."

"It gets better," Jounouchi assured, then added shyly, "Tonight."

Jounouchi watched Kaiba raise a brow.

"You mean..." Kaiba started.

"See if you can convince Kisara to sleep over at Harpy and Mai's room tonight." Jounouchi gave Kaiba a light peck on his cheek, "We could talk throughout the night, or do something else."

Kaiba looked totally smashed, or at least speechless. Jounouchi turned away and headed out the door with Kaiba in tow.

Well, at least that had come out less awkward than he had thought. He was usually the one who got invited to girl's beds and seldom the other way round. Jounouchi simply hope he didn't screw up that night.

Memento to self, Jounouchi reminded as they filed out the door, revise the fifth chapter of 'The Grand Entrance to Male-Sex' after dinner tonight. He was going to need all the help he could find.

* * *

  
Jono balanced himself precociously on the shark float as his twin and Kisara held on to the large toy they dubbed Sharky.

"Okay, I think the both of you can let go now." Jono encouraged as he balanced his weight with his arms out-stretched.

"Are you sure it'll work?" Mahaado glanced up worriedly from below, two small tube floats around his arms.

"No problem!" Jono assured, "I've seen Uncle Kajiki stand on real killer whales and sharks!"

"Yeah but Uncle Kajiki is a fisherman!" Mahaado pointed out. He was really getting worried that his older friend would fall and get hurt, and it didn't help that Harpy, Kisara and Seth didn't seem to be intervening but instead adding more to the mischief.

"Alright, we're letting go." Kisara announced, then turned to Seth, "Let go and run like hell before Jono fall on us."

"What?" Seth stuttered, "But Jono –"

"On three." Kisara interrupted, "Three!"

Kisara scrambled away from Sharky.

Seth was pulled back by Harpy.

Jono was in the air for one moment -

Splash!

-And sputtering out salty water next.

"Did it work?" Mahaado asked quietly.

Jono wiped his face with his hands, "Yeah, for a while, until I fell."

"That means it didn't work." Mahaado commented dryly.

"It did!"

"No, it didn't."

"It –" Jono stopped, paled and grabbed Seth.

"Sethy, go get daddy."

Seth raised a brow, "Why?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Kisara prompted.

"Seth, just go get daddy, please?" Jono begged, pulling Seth further into the sea though the water level barely changed. The shallow waters stretched out for kilometres before it deepened, one of the reasons to why they were allowed to play in the water without an adult with them.

"Looking for this?" Harpy smirked, holding up a pair of red swimming trunks.

Seth and Kisara gasped. Mahaado snickered.

"Harpy!" Jono screeched, "Give me back that!"

The little blonde waddled through the water to Harpy, who tossed the swimsuit over to Mahaado.

"Mahaado!" Jono yelled.

Mahaado gave an apologetic smile and pitched it back to Harpy. Jono scrambled over.

"What's the magic word?" Harpy prompted, holding the swimming trunks high up above Jono who was slightly shorter.

"Give it back!"

"The magic word, Jono."

"Jono, just say it." Kisara teased from a side.

"Pl...Please." Jono begged unwillingly.

"Please what?"

"Please return me my swimming trunks." Jono muttered under his breathe.

"You must say, please return me my swimming trunks, Queen Harp – yeoucchhh!" Harpy yelped as her ear got twisted painfully by her mommy.

Jono looked up gratefully to see Harpy's mommy smirking at her daughter. He liked Harpy's mommy. She was really pretty and very nice to him, his twin and his daddy. He would be glad if she became their mommy, but of course, daddy was now with Kisara's daddy.

"Bullying Jono again, Harpy?" Harpy's mommy lectured.

"I wasn't bullying him, we were... playing!" Harpy protested, pulling away from her mommy's grip.

"Here, take it back." Harpy's mommy smiled, retrieved the swimming trunks and pressed it into Jono's hands, "Harpy only bullies boys that she likes."

"She –" Jono blushed.

"I don't!" Harpy screeched, totally embarrassed and not daring to meet the glance of the others.

"Harpy and Jono sitting on a tree..." Kisara started singing, grinning so hard the words came out quite strange.

"Kisara!" Harpy screeched, "You were supposed to stand on my side!"

Kisara stopped and smiled innocently, "It's okay. I like Seth, you can have Jono."

Seth almost collapsed into the water.

"Kisara, don't make fun of us!" Seth stuttered shyly.

Kisara merely shrugged.

* * *

  
Kaiba was wistful as he trudged down the sands to the beach behind Jounouchi.

Tonight, was going to be greatly anticipated.

Kisara could easily be taken care off. She was bound to happily skip off to Harpy and Mai's room, or even Seth and Jono's room since their daddy would not be around.

He nudged his slipping sunglasses up to block the sun as they neared the sea.

Jounouchi was quick to join Anzu and Yugi on the picnic mat while Kaiba dragged himself over to a deck chair underneath a beach umbrella.

While watching his puppy gorge himself with food, he coated himself with strong sun block lotion. Kaiba had no intention of tanning himself to an Egyptian bronze, unlike Yugi and Bakura who were both absorbing as much light as they could. Kaiba figured that their fetish towards Egypt must have had something to do with their 'so believed previous lives'.

Not that Kaiba didn't believe in all those Egyptian anecdotes, he did half believe in them. After all, he had relived memories of the high priest Set on several accounts. And he could still read ancient Egyptian words. But then again, those could simply be just hallucinations.

Now and then, he would wonder if he was duelling Yugi or the pharaoh's spirit those years back in Battle City. Regardless of the answer, he had memorable duels and would never forget his rival, be it the pharaoh or Yugi. If the spirit had existed, he only hoped that 'it' had moved on to the next world or wherever it should go. Having gone through almost one- third of a humans' life span, he had come to accept that strange, unexplainable things did happen. But for now, he didn't need his supposedly Egyptian past. There was his current lifetime to worry about, as well as -

His puppy who was currently gobbling up sausages, sitting directly under the blaring sun. He frowned.

Grabbing Jounouchi's arm, Kaiba pulled his puppy to the deck chair beside him and manipulated Jounouchi expertly to a position where Jounouchi was lying on his stomach. He didn't need Jounouchi roasted and complain about not being able to hug when he got sun-burnt.

"What are you doing-" A shiver ran down Jounouchi's back as Kaiba poured a full splat of cold sun-block lotion on his tanned skin.

"Sun block." Kaiba answered obligingly as he started rubbing the lotion slowly over the firm taut body.

Jounouchi's body was always warm, Kaiba realized as he massaged the lotion gently onto his lover's body. Somehow, he suspected that it had to do with fact that Jounouchi was always eating or full.

That wasn't something he was going to complain about, though. He preferred his lovers to have warm bodies, considering he was often cold regardless of how much he ate.

"Nice." Jounouchi commented sleepily as Kaiba's hands worked themselves over his back. "But your hands are too cold."

Kaiba merely grunted in response as he proceeded to flip Jounouchi over and started working on his chest, ignoring the embarrassed looks and stares that Anzu, Mai, Mokuba and Rebecca stuck together were giving them.

Kaiba counted himself lucky Shizuka and Otogi didn't make the trip. Shizuka didn't feel up to the four hour drive with her new baby coming. Kaiba was, in a way content about it, or he believed, he would be reduced to a pile of ashes by her intense glare by now. Somehow, the usually sweetly girl just didn't support her brother with him.

Unfortunately, Jounouchi wasn't as immured to stares as well as he was, choosing to push his hands away and apply the lotion himself.

A complete utter disappointment to Kaiba.

But he would survive it. There was still a promise of tonight.

"My turn. Turn around, I'll do your back." Jounouchi finally finished applying sun block on wherever he could reach and turned to Kaiba, smirking.

The puppy definitely had a trick up his sleeves, Kaiba decided but he could let it go.

Obligingly, Kaiba lay down on his stomach on the deck bench and allowed Jounouchi to spread the cool lotion over his back, Jounouchi's firm warm hands felt good on his cool skin.

Jounouchi was chuckling quietly to himself, nevertheless, Kaiba chose to remain silent. Whatever trick the puppy had in mind could be dealt with later. For now, he simply wanted to enjoy Jounouchi massaging the lotion onto his back.

* * *

  
Jounouchi grinned across the net at a scowling Kaiba standing beside Bakura, caked with sand, both wet and dry. Currently, he and Honda were leading in the beach ball match with Yugi and Mokuba as the referee and Anzu, Rebecca cheering from the side lines.

Kaiba had been difficult to persuade into playing the game, until Jounouchi promised that he would also play. What Kaiba wasn't informed was that, they weren't going to be in the same team.

Kaiba was usually good in sports, considering he topped their sports lessons back in high school, then again, Kaiba topped everything back in high school. But now playing against Jounouchi and Honda, Kaiba's team with Bakura was losing, simply because they lacked the teamwork and partnership Jounouchi and Honda had perfected over the years.

Currently, Kaiba was preparing to serve the ball over the net, and Jounouchi took the time to allow his eyes to explore his boyfriend's stature.

It was a wonder to him how Kaiba ever kept fit. That guy hardly exercised, or even walked, unless counting the morning swims, which Jounouchi had a hinge that Kaiba simply soaked in the cold water instead of swam, and that the morning they kissed in the pool, Kaiba swam just to show off his physique.

Kaiba had mentioned playing tennis with Mokuba, but that was a long way back before he went to US and just currently after he returned. Besides that, Kaiba ate ALOT, a shocking news to Jounouchi who had thought that he was the one with the bigger appetite.

Kaiba ate a lot of junk food. Another shocking fact he discovered while rummaging through Kaiba's office desk on their first date. Pringles chips, Oreos cookies, Lays potato chips, Snickers bars were all stashed in a drawer, and Jounouchi had no doubt those were Kaiba's secret stockpile, yet Kaiba remained lean and fit. That fit, attractive body-

WHAM.

A well-served beach ball hit him beautifully right on the chest.

Jounouchi fell onto his backside, his breath completely knocked out as the ball sprung off his chest and bounced to a corner of the court.

"You weren't paying attention." Honda teased and retrieved the ball while Jounouchi coughed a couple of times, trying to catch his breath.

"Who threw that ball?" Jounouchi demanded.

"Your boyfriend."

"Seto!" Jounouchi yelled.

Kaiba shrugged, "You weren't paying attention. By the way, that's one point for me."

"One point for Bakura and Kaiba's team. It's now five to three with Jounouchi and Honda's team in the lead." Yugi announced, "Game resume!"

Honda served the ball over the net.

Jounouchi swore he wouldn't get caught off guard again. He watched Bakura volleyed the ball to Kaiba, who spiked the ball right over the net.

A grin crept up Jounouchi's lips, he scrambled forward to return the serve, aiming for Kaiba's toned chest. His eyes trailed up to Kaiba's eyes for a moment, catching those blue eyes for a second.

Deep blue eyes that were always so intense-

WHAM.

Jounouchi fell flat onto the sand as the ball rolled off his face.

Damn that hurt! Jounouchi almost cursed as his felt his face burn red.

Just how did that ball hit his face anyway?! He was positive the ball was coming to where he could serve it back beautifully... yeah, but that was before he got so enthralled staring at Kaiba's eyes...

"Katsuya."

Kaiba was now pulling his face up from the sand, jaw pulled back straight in deep concern. Jounouchi found the expression on Kaiba's face distinctly familiar. Yup, it was the same look Kaiba had on his face when Kisara had fell at the playground and knocked her front teeth out.

"I'm alright." He managed to croak as Kaiba pulled him to his feet.

"Your nose is bleeding, puppy."

Uh huh, now that Kaiba mentioned, there was a coppery liquid flowing down his throat and a cool tingling sensation just above his lips.

"Let's switch players." Honda decided, "Yugi will partner me and Mokuba partner Bakura."

Jounouchi nodded, though reluctant to leave the game. Kaiba dragged him to the deck chairs beneath the umbrella again and started cleaning him up.

"You should have paid attention to the game." Kaiba scolded, pressing down a dry face towel on Jounouchi's face.

"You should have served lighter."

"It was a light serve." Kaiba growled, "But you chose to return it with your face."

"Mpf." Jounouchi grunted.

"Pain?" Kaiba prompted, pouring a glass of water with his free hand.

Jounouchi made a face as Kaiba forced the water down his throat. Kaiba was fussing over him like a mother hen, "I'll live."

With Kaiba's hand still holding the towel on his face, Jounouchi found himself led over to the empty picnic mat.

"Is the blood still flowing?" Kaiba asked as he made the mat comfortable for the two of them with cushions he had taken from the house.

Jounouchi shook his head obediently, pushing Kaiba's hand away. However, he could still taste the disgusting metallic tang of blood that had previously flowed down his throat.

He watched as Kaiba threw the towel to a side, whipped out a cherry from a cake and detached the stalk from the fruit. The red fruit was then pressed into Jounouchi mouth and Jounouchi swallowed it down. Trust Kaiba to treat him with a cherry to get rid of the blood taste.

Jounouchi watched as Kaiba smirked and started toying the stalk with a tongue. Then the stalk disappeared into Kaiba's mouth as Jounouchi watched wide-eyed at Kaiba, who was fully concentrated on doing something with his tongue.

Ten seconds passed.

Jounouchi's eyebrows were raised in astonishment as Kaiba retrieved the stalk from his mouth, the brown stalk knotted beautifully.

"They say that people who can knot a cherry stalk with their tongue within ten seconds," Kaiba smirked, flicking out his tongue and licking his lips sensually "Are very good kissers."

Jounouchi felt his neck flush as Kaiba continued playing with his own tongue sensually. Why did everything about Kaiba have to be so sexy - even his tongue and those red seductive lips?

Kaiba paused in his playing. "Puppy, you nose is bleeding again."

Yeah, and it probably wouldn't stop until he had no blood left to flow, Jounouchi's face was a complete red. Damn Kaiba and that tongue. He eyed the cherry stalk jealously.

Unlike the cherry stalk, he couldn't kiss Kaiba in public, not even only in front of close friends and buddies like Honda, Yugi and the rest of the gang. Admittedly, it was he who stopped himself from doing it. He couldn't imagine doing anything intimate with Kaiba outside the privacy of an enclosed room with only the two of them around.

Kaiba pressing the towel to his face gently brought him back to earth.

"Thanks." Jounouchi mumbled, his voice muffled by the towel. Kaiba was being too good to him, he actually felt sorry for pulling the trick on him.

Jounouchi contemplated over telling Kaiba about his little trick. After all, Kaiba was bound to find out about it. Something about sun-block and tattoos, puppies and Kaiba's back.

"Uh Seto." Jounouchi started, owning up seemed to be the best course and way of thanking Kaiba for being so sweet to him. Except Kaiba might not be so sweet after hearing about the stunt he had pulled. Jounouchi could only hope that Kaiba had heard of the story on Washington chopping down his father's beloved tree.

"Hey Kaiba!" Mai's bright voice called out from behind, chuckling, dripping wet, having just emerged from the sea.

Jounouchi froze. The tone in her voice. Mai knew and she was going to tell.

"Puppy's property?" Mai teased as she poked at Kaiba's back.

Kaiba frowned and tried to see for himself whatever was on his back, but there was absolutely no way he could turn his head enough to see what was on his back.

Uh oh. Escape was the best tactic he could come up with. Jounouchi scampered up to his feet instantly - just as Kaiba grabbed his wrist and pull him down on to the mat roughly again.

"Puppy's property?" Kaiba asked, his eyes narrowed to a thin line.

"Uh. Sun tattoos. Ever heard of them? Just where the words were written, the skin gets tan." Jounouchi managed to joke feebly. He couldn't tell Kaiba's expressions. It was a complete blank. But Kaiba wasn't going to flare up just over a little joke, right?

Jounouchi felt himself lifted up and carried off the mat by Kaiba.

Uh, what was Kaiba going to do?

Jounouchi struggled in his lover's arms, trying to get off, but Kaiba was holding him too tightly for him to attempt anything.

Then-

SPLAT-

Mud pit.

Jounouchi poked his head out of the deep, freshly dug mud pit.

Kaiba had dumped him into the mud pit the kids had been making and was currently smirking evilly, standing beside the pit while the kids rolled in laughter around the pit.

Jounouchi had cold mud all over him, from the tips of his hair to his toes - and he was still standing in the mud pit up to his chest level. When the kids had dug such a large deep hole and filled it with mud was beyond him.

He didn't need to see himself to know how hilarious he looked, completely caked with the brown creamy like goo-even he had to laugh at himself.

"Come on, you need a shower." Kaiba finally said, when the kids' laughter had died out, extending a hand.

Jounouchi grinned. If he was going to enjoy a mud bath, he wasn't going to do it alone. Kaiba was going to join him.

In an instant, Kaiba was down in the pit with him, mud dripping off his brown hair, completely in undisguised shock.

"Now WE need showers." Jounouchi grinned at Kaiba, whose mouth was curling up at a corner.

Kaiba leaned over and quickly gave him a muddy hug and a light peck on the lip before dumping another full pail of mud on his head.

"Seto!" Jounouchi growled as the cold liquid flowed down his back.

Kaiba laughed and climbed out of the pit with Jounouchi chasing after him.

* * *

  
"TORNADO WALLS!" Jono yelled as he spun himself round and round in the large bath tub until he fell over, dazed.

When he finally got hold of himself again, three very angry pairs of eyes were starring at him.

Harpy, Seth and Kisara.

Dressed in their bath-suits, they were completely covered with bubbles from the waves Jono had made up with his foam bath storm.

"Oops." Jono mumbled apologetically as Harpy squirted soapy water at him with a Furious Sea King toy.

"Torrential Wave!" Kisara yelled and grinned at Harpy, splashing waves of water at Jono, who was ducking into the large bathtub cum spa he was sharing with them.

"That's not fair!" He sputtered as he popped his head out of the water for air and was immediately attacked by a tub of water.

"Seth, you're on my side." Jono announced as he grabbed his twin as a shield.

"I didn't know being on your side means being your shield!" Seth gasped as the girls started attacking him with water instead of Jono.

The kids had resorted to playing in the large bathtub in the room the twins shared with their daddy after the adults had announced they were getting off the beach.

It was almost as fun, but still not as good as the beach, with the endless stretch of sands for them to dig and water to soak in.

But still, when having no choice, the bath tub was still a great place to soak in, especially a huge bathtub cum Jacuzzi like this.

The door opened slightly and Mahaado poked his head in, fully dressed in black magician pyjamas.

"Aw. You guys haven't finished bathing yet?" The little boy complained as he ducked when a small toy came flying over.

The four kids shook their heads, grinning away.

"We just started playing." Kisara informed, showing off her new front teeth, which were half-grown.

"Aw." Mahaado grunted in envy. "Daddy had us quickly bathed. Anyway, Uncle Bakura and Uncle Honda are starting fire in the barbeque pit soon. If you wanna watch, you've got to come fast."

"I wanna watch!" Kisara jumped out of the bath tub enthusiastically.

The door swung open further and a brown bunch of hair poked in along side a mop of blonde.

Jono, Seth and Kisara looked up to find their daddies looking at them.

"You can go watch, after you bath." Kisara's daddy instructed firmly.

"Kay!" Kisara answered quickly and proceeded to push past her daddy.

"You can bath in here with us." Jono called out.

"I don't bath with anyone else!" Kisara shouted as she stampeded up the stairs to the second storey, leaving a trail of puddles behind her.

Seth and Jono glanced at one another with their brows raised.

"How about you, Harpy?" Seth turned to the older girl.

"What's wrong with bathing with others? I bath with my mommy every day, and you guys when we come for outings." The little girl said innocently.

The kids didn't notice the adults and Mahaado leave the bathroom, with Kaiba and Jounouchi smiling to themselves.

* * *

  
The soft roars of waves and cool damp air greeted Jounouchi as he stepped out the back door. Hooking his toes over the edge of the raised landing, he watched as the sun disappeared completely into the sea, leaving just a few dying rays of purple and orange over the horizon.

"Puppy, don't bock the road." Kaiba whispered from behind and Jounouchi stepped aside grudgingly for Kaiba to brush past.

"Kisara finished her bath?" Jounouchi asked.

"No." Kaiba answered, moving off to the beach, "But I've prepared her clothes and towels. She can bath on her own, or I should say, she doesn't let anyone bath her."

Jounouchi slipped on a pair of sandals and followed Kaiba out the back door; pass the pit where Bakura and Honda were preparing charcoal, to a shaded part of the yard where a pavilion stood beneath some trees. It was a perfect secluded spot where they could enjoy some solitude.

The sea breeze refreshed him as he watched Kaiba brush away some leaves before settling down on the oak bench.

"Kisara doesn't let anyone bath her?" Jounouchi asked incredulously as Kaiba pulled him down onto the bench.

Kaiba shrugged. "She had some disturbing incidents back in the orphanage which resulted in total refusal to bath. She's now better, at least she agrees to bath, but she doesn't allow anyone to help or watch. She doesn't even dare to change her clothes in front of others."

"If this goes on, her teen years will be a real treat for you." Jounouchi mused. "Mai's always worried about Harpy's teen years and those raging hormones."

Kaiba chuckled, "I just hope Kisara doesn't get influenced by Mokuba or Rebecca. I can't stand Rebecca's 'darlings' at Mokuba. Rebecca's a nice girl, though. Seth and Jono, they are bathing?"

"Mai is washing them up together with Harpy, or at least, supervising over them and making sure the three don't drown in the tub."

A flock of seagulls fluttered past their heads, and Jounouchi's eyes followed them over the ocean until they disappeared from sight. The last rays of the sun were dying out and the sky darkened to a deep blue. A cruise from at the end of the horizon lighted up and illuminated against the dark backdrop. Jounouchi distinctly recognised it as Noa's Ark, the ship that had brought him and Kaiba together.

The sound of pages flipping brought his attention back to Kaiba. His eyes zoomed in on the large familiar book Kaiba had in his hand.

Jounouchi's heart missed a couple of beats.

"Uh, what's that you're holding in your hand?" Jounouchi asked hesitantly.

"This?" Kaiba smirked, holding the obviously, well-read, crumpled and thumbed book.

"Where did you get that?" Jounouchi sputtered nervously as he reached for it, but Kaiba quickly held it up way high, too high for Jounouchi, who was barely two inches shorter to retrieve it.

Kaiba spun around swiftly and flipped the book open to the first page.

"I saw it on the way out of your room. Appealing interest you have here, Katsuya, the Grand Entrance to Male Sex." Kaiba mused aloud as he flipped to the next few pages, ignoring Jounouchi's pleas and attempts to get the book back.

"Seto, give it back!" Jounouchi pleaded, visibly embarrassed.

"Mn... some of the notes are in your writing, the others... Honda?" Kaiba guessed correctly.

"Yes, now give it back!" Jounouchi hissed as he grabbed hold of the book, trying to pry it out of Kaiba's hands, but Kaiba had a tight grip on the book.

"A note on lubricants... your handwriting is horrendous, pup." Kaiba commented, squinting to see the tiny words, "Black bottle in Seto's bathroom - I didn't know you go around fumbling my bathroom accessories."

"It WAS AN ACCIDENT! I THOUGHT IT WAS HAIR GEL!" Jounouchi blurted out before he could stop himself and quickly covered his mouth to stop himself from saying anything stupider.

Kaiba was chuckling so hard he almost let go of the book. The puppy was now two shades redder than before.

"Whip cream, chocolate cream, strawberries...mn...chains, handcuffs and a whip?" Kaiba continued down the random notes on the page. "You have exotic ideas, puppy."

"THOSE ARE NOT MY IDEAS. THOSE ARE THING BAKURA AND HONDA DO." Jounouchi couldn't contain himself.

"Mn..." Kaiba grunted as he observed the coloured graphics on the page half- heartedly.

"Seto. Give me back the book. Please." Jounouchi implored panicky.

"The book is nothing like the real thing, puppy." Kaiba finally said and handed him back the book.

Jounouchi snatched the book and hugged it tightly.

"Throw it away. It's junk." Kaiba commented as he headed back into the house.

* * *

  
The night was passing and the mood of the barbeque pretty much dying. Honda and Bakura had strolled off somewhere to the beach. Mokuba and Rebecca were sitting at the pavilion where he and Jounouchi had lingered for a few moments earlier in the evening. Currently, Kaiba was sitting in the backyard, absently listening to Yugi, Anzu and Mai's conversation.

It was supposedly on parenting, or at least that was what they had been talking about a few moments ago when he had actually listened.

"Have you met Jounouchi's parents?" Yugi asked abruptly.

Kaiba snapped out from his dreaming – thoughts about what was going to happen after the barbeque – to find the party of three staring at him, awaiting an answer.

"You were saying?"

"Have you met Jounouchi's parents?" Yugi repeated, "I mean, do they know about your relationship with Jou?"

"No." Kaiba answered. It was an issue he and Jounouchi had been trying to put off as long as possible. He knew that Jounouchi was quite anxious and very worried about the problem, but heck, meeting 'in-laws' were always difficult. Jounouchi's beloved sister had not been very understanding. He doubted that their parents would be.

"I think, "Mai assured, "You'll have no problem with Jou's father. He's a very liberal person, especially ever since he remarried."

Yugi nodded, "Jou's father will be supportive, I think... It's his mother that may intervene."

Kaiba snorted, "Haven't she already disowned Katsuya when she ditched him with his drunkard dad?"

"True. But they've been trying to make up those lost years now." Yugi argued.

"It's not going to be easy." Mai warned, "Though we hope we are over- reacting."

Kaiba smirked. The more difficult the challenge was, the more he enjoyed it. Meeting Jounouchi's parents now sounded more interesting than previously thought. Maybe he should pester his puppy about the meeting.

"I'll think about it with Katsuya." He promised. Yugi looked like he had something more to say, but just then Marik started crying and his former nemesis went back into the house to get fresh diapers.

He considered talking to Mai, who had been staring at his puppy for half the night, then dropped the idea when he caught the defeated look in her eyes. It was a look similar to that of his puppy's earlier that day during his confession that Mai had dumped him – except, Jounouchi's eyes still held a sparkle of bliss while Mai's were completely capitulate.

Mai Kujaku would always take a corner of his puppy's heart, Kaiba figured. He could deal with it.

Kaiba reconsidered his thoughts.

Alright. Maybe not always. He would make sure Jounouchi's heart yield to him totally and willingly in days to come, after all, Seto Kaiba does not share. Nonetheless for now, he would accept a little place for Mai's in his puppy's heart.

"Daddy, you've got to see this!" Kisara interrupted abruptly, skipping over and tugging at Kaiba's pants. Kaiba could swear his loose silk pants were on the verge of tearing or worse, falling off.

Stumbling behind Kisara, Kaiba took a whiff of burnt, melting, charred sweet potatoes coming from the barbeque pit which was currently surrounded by a pair of cheering twins, Harpy, Mahaado, Isis and his grinning puppy.

"Behold, the Lava Golem!" Mahaado shouted and Kaiba was introduced to a disgusting chunk of orange sizzling sweet potato that was melting like ice- cream and on the verge of being blackened.

"Potato domination!" Jono yelled.

"Lava Golem attack Marshmallon!" Kisara screeched, stabbed the melting lump with a skewer and tossed it onto a roasted marshmallow on the edge of the pit.

"That's a very wasteful use of food." Kaiba commented dryly, writhing his nose in disgust as the smell of blackened potato overwhelmed him.

"But it's really cool!" Kisara argued, grabbing another sweet potato and chucking it at Jounouchi, "Please, one last one?"

Kaiba shook his head in disapproval.

"Please?" Five pairs of large puppy eyes begged.

"Just one last one, okay?" Jounouchi gave in, ignoring Kaiba's glare of disapproval, "It's just one sweet potato."

"It's a waste of good food." Kaiba disagreed. But Jounouchi had already started peeling off the brown skin of the potato skilfully. The striped potato was dumped piteously onto the red hot metal plate, meant for frying, and Kaiba watched in repugnance as the potato started softening, sizzle, melt, and finally boil.

The bubbles sizzling on the orange chunks of soft lumpy goo were enough to turn his stomach. The Lava Golem was more liquefied than the previous.

Moments passed as seven pairs of eyes watched the evolving Lava Golem. Finally, it blackened and bits of charred remnants remained stuck onto the metal plate.

"Disgusting." Kaiba wrinkled his nose.

"No, that was cool." Kisara declared.

"Waste of food and difficult to clean up." Kaiba argued, "And it's past your bed time."

"Aw... can't we sleep a little later today?"

A few pleas and puppy eyes were directed towards his puppy, but a stare from Kaiba shut Jounouchi up.

"Please?"

"You can stay up a little later today." Kaiba announced.

Cheers from the kids.

"Until eleven-thirty. And it's now eleven twenty-nine, go brush your teeth, now." Kaiba continued firmly.

The kids were smart enough to understand that it was futile to argue with him anymore, and Anzu had also come to collect Mahaado and Isis to prepare for the night.

As the kids filed into the house, Kaiba took the opportunity to grab his puppy.

"See you later in my room." He teased and ran a tongue down Jounouchi's neck, smirking as his puppy's back stiffened.

The night had barely begun...

* * *

  
"Kisara, hold on. Don't let go!" Seth yelled as he threw a blanket down the bed to a 'struggling' Kisara on the floor.

Sharky, the shark float was moving over close to Kisara with Jono whacking the poor shark, pretending to hit the shark away with a booster, but in reality, tipping the shark closer and closer towards Kisara.

"Hurry, the shark is coming! Swim back" Harpy screamed, jumping on the large bed beside Jono.

The door to their room opened, but the four kids barely noticed the new comers.

"You're going to spoil the bed." Mahaado commented lightly, with Isis holding on to his pants.

"And what are you doing?" He asked in puzzlement, eyeing the struggling Kisara on the floor.

"We are playing." Jono explained, "We are Duel Monster Masters exploring the oceans for different kind of Sea Duel Monsters and Kisara just fell off the ship. And a shark is attacking our ship. Wanna join us? You can be a pirate!"

"Can't. Mommy wants us in bed now. We just came to say good night. Don't Harpy and Kisara have to go back to their rooms?"

Kisara ginned, "Daddy let me sleep over with Seth and Jono."

"And daddy was so nice to offer to let us have this room to ourselves!" Jono added.

"Wow." Mahaado said, with true envy. "Wish we could stay over in your room for the night too!"

Seth perked up, pulling the blanket back onto the bed, "Your room is just beside us, right?"

Mahaado and Isis nodded.

"I think that daddy is not coming back to sleep tonight. You and Isis can stay in our room if you like."

"The bed can't squeeze all of us in." Mahaado reminded.

"Oh."

"Never mind. Good night." Mahaado smiled sleepily as he led a yawning Isis back to their room.

"I have to go too." Harpy sighed, "Mommy's waiting for me."

"Good night."

"Night."

With Harpy's leave, the fun died down and Kisara squirmed under the blanket with her two good friends, with Seth in the middle.

"Daddy is sleeping in your daddy's room tonight, I think." Jono commented briefly as the three stared up at the ceiling fan.

"I like your daddy." Kisara smiled.

"We like your daddy too." Seth replied

"Your daddy's way cool. He can even make Lava Golems!"

"Your daddy has a lot of theme parks all over the world. That's cool too!"

"Yeah, but I think you daddy is cooler."

"Well, our daddy is half your daddy too."

"Really?"

"Uh huh."

* * *

  
Jounouchi trailed his fingers along the blue cotton bedspread as he sat on Kaiba's bed.

Kaiba was in the bathroom, taking another shower. The brunette apparently didn't appreciate having any other smells, such as smoke from the barbeque on him, besides his own cinnamon and vanilla fragrant.

In any case, the delay was good for him, allowing Jounouchi time to think about what they were going to do. Yet at the same time, it was driving him crazy - sitting there and waiting.

Why did he have to be so nervous? Jounouchi swallowed hard, feeling the pit of his stomach churning.

His first sex experience, with Mai, hadn't been half as stressful as this. And to think that, this time, he was the one who had initiated whatever was happening now. Where had the calmness from this afternoon go?

Jounouchi's ears perked up as he heard the showerhead turned off. Kaiba had most likely finished bathing, and was drying himself now. Withdrawal was definitely impossible now, and Kaiba would kill him if he even suggested it.

His heart pounding and cold sweat breaking out, Jounouchi quickly reached under the bed and retrieved his handy book which Kaiba had labelled junk, for a last quick revision.

His fingers flipped through the pages fretfully, his eyes running over the images and sentences for the one last time. The words barely made sense and it took him ten pages before realizing he had not digest a single word.

The sound of the bathroom doorknob twisting made Jounouchi jump and he quickly dumped the heavy book back under the bed.

The door swung open. Warm, cinnamon-fragrant air rushed out, along with a Seto Kaiba, who was wearing a white cotton bathrobe and silk pants beneath.

Jounouchi barely dared to meet Kaiba's eyes.

Kaiba's face was a complete blank.

Damn, he hated it when Kaiba had no expression. A Kaiba with a smirk, or a frown, or the rare smile, or even the glare was way better than a Kaiba with a blank look.

Kaiba made his way over and sat down beside him, his head nuzzling up to Jounouchi's neck.

Jounouchi stiffened instantly.

He couldn't help it. He wanted it as much as Kaiba did, but the idea still in a way, terrified him.

"You're too tense, relax." Kaiba mumbled into his ear and then left him momentarily to turn down the lights in the room.

"Dim lights should help you relax." Kaiba murmured softly as he resumed his prior position, before pressing Jounouchi down onto the bed and half rolling onto him.

Jounouchi tried his best to loosen up, but failed terribly at it. Every movement that Kaiba was making was making him jump.

And Kaiba lying on top of him was only made him more edgy than before.

He concentrated on the trail of warm kisses down his neck.

Kaiba was really being a saint now, being so patient and understanding he almost felt bad.

But his boyfriend's scheme of trying to get him to relax wasn't quite working.

And then it seemed Kaiba decided to change tactics, by massaging Jounouchi at the neck and shoulders.

Bad move.

In fact, very bad.

Kaiba had barely applied pressure on his shoulders when Jounouchi started squirming and giggling. Apparently, Kaiba did not know that he was ticklish or at least, very sensitive at the shoulder and collar bone area.

But at the same time, Kaiba did get what he wanted, Jounouchi was more relaxed.

"Stop laughing." Kaiba ordered, visibly annoyed and frustrated, but that only make Jounouchi burst into further laughter, his body squirming under Kaiba.

Kaiba tried to bring the mood - romantic if one could call it- back into the room, by kissing him, but the atmosphere was lost for good, with Jounouchi laughing uncontrollably, even when Kaiba wasn't touching him.

Finally, Kaiba gave up, crawling off Jounouchi to the other corner of the bed, leaning against the wall.

Jounouchi couldn't stop laughing. He wasn't sure what he was chuckling at anymore, the ticklish feeling was almost gone, but the whole idea that he ended up laughing so hard was hilarious in his point of view.

Kaiba grunted in disapproval from his side of the bed.

The defeated grunt only prompted Jounouchi to laugh harder-so hard he rolled off the bed and landed on the floor in a twitching heap.

It was a while before Jounouchi finally put himself together again, still lying on the floor.

His lover then poked a head over the side of the bed.

"You done laughing?" Kaiba asked, his tone serious and frustrated.

"Yeah, I guess so." Jounouchi smiled back. The laughing did relax him after all.

Kaiba grabbed him from atop and perched him back onto the bed.

"Good." Kaiba answered and instantly pinned him down again.

This time, Jounouchi relaxed his body underneath Kaiba. Kaiba was warm and comforting above him. Jounouchi wasn't sure since when he had fallen in love with Kaiba's cinnamon smell. The sweet fragrant meant Kaiba, and Kaiba was now overwhelming with it.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe of the cinnamon as Kaiba kissed him strongly at the neck, before moving up to his lips.

The cherry stalk theory did work. Kaiba was definitely a good kisser, with a skilled and unbelievably manipulative tongue that was currently engaged in a playful duel with his. He tried to gain control of the kiss, but evidently, Kaiba's was more domineering and winning it.

Then Kaiba's tongue was gone, instead the lips started wandering about Jounouchi's face. Teeth taking nips of his upper lip, the bridge of his nose, an eyelid – illogical places that only a man in love would prize.

Kaiba... was the man in love... in love with him...

The kiss intensified, as Kaiba's hands moved down to his shirt and going under it to his stomach. They lingered there for a few moments, before Kaiba pulled up the shirt and allowing him to twist out of it.

"Hey. Not fair." Jounouchi grinned and ran his hands under Kaiba's white cotton robe.

Warm and smooth.

And Jounouchi knew the words 'Puppy's property' was still there, on the smooth skin he was running his fingers down now.

Mine... my property... he mouthed the word silently in his mind.

He reached to untie Kaiba's belt and pulled the white cotton off easily.

"Now that's fair."

"Puppy," Kaiba's sweet breath lingered on the lope of his ear, "Talking wastes lips."

"If you just wanted me to kiss you back, you could just ask." Jounouchi teased as he ran his fingers down Kaiba's smooth back.

Jounouchi shivered involuntarily as Kaiba slipped one hand onto his chest and started teasing his nipple, at the same time, running a tongue down his chest on the way to his belly.

Jounouchi whimpered softly, taking pleasure in the electrifying sensations his lover was sending through him

He coiled his arms around his lover's neck and pressed his mouth to his lover's lips, feeling the kisses deepen impatiently with the passing of every second. Kaiba was getting impatient, and hard. Jounouchi could feel it as Kaiba lay on top of him, and Kaiba's teasing hand which still wandering across his chest was giving the same effect on him.

"Seto..."

Kaiba's mouth was getting invasive, and so was his hands, rubbing and touching Jounouchi almost everywhere, enough to make Jounouchi gasp.

The he felt Kaiba tugging at his pants.

The same feeling that had hit him on Noa's Ark struck him again.

Jounouchi tensed and almost kicked upwards.

Fortunately, self control and desire for Kaiba besieged his natural instinct to kick, allowing Kaiba to remove his pants smoothly.

Kaiba grunted in disapproval as the pants went flying off the bed and Jounouchi could very well guess why.

Jounouchi could only smile sheepishly.

He still had a pair of boxers on - with puppy paw - prints on it.

Jounouchi relaxed once again as Kaiba seemed to decide to leave the boxer for later, choosing to suck at his collarbone.

Whimpering softly, Jounouchi's breathe hastened as Kaiba continued kissing and biting at his collarbone. His shoulders and collarbone were surprisingly sensitive parts of his body and the way Kaiba was touching him on the thigh was almost enough to blow his mind.

There was only one word in his mind.

Seto.

Seto's name was the only thing he could think about, and it took him all of his self-control not to cry out the name.

Then Kaiba's hand moved up to his boxers and tugged at it, his hand brushing against Jounouchi's painful arousal.

This time, instinct, fear and jumpiness snapped up. He couldn't do it.

Jounouchi jerked upwards involuntarily, his head knocking into Kaiba's forehead painfully. At the same time, his knee went straight up, and landed - in the worst place - again.

Kaiba rolled off him instantly and laid beside him, whimpering in pain and utter frustration, his eyes closed.

Stricken with guilt and jitteriness, Jounouchi climbed off the bed and stumbled across the room, pausing only to grab the blanket and wrap it around him before heading for the door.

He had to get out. Now.

Taking one last look before he left the room, Jounouchi felt utterly bad for kicking his grimacing lover. But he was in no mood to stay in the same room anymore.

"Sorry Seto." He mumbled as he fled the room.

* * *

  
Jounouchi ran all the way down the stairs and, finally stopped at Mai's door, slamming the door open.

Two large pair of eyes stared at him in surprise.

"Jou?" Mai called out as she left the dressing table where she had been brushing her daughter's locks of hair.

"Damn it." Jounouchi cursed.

Mai covered Harpy's ears and shot a disapproving glare at him.

"Sit down, Jou. Now what happened?"

Jounouchi gritted his teeth, "I did something really stupid."

"What? Did you kill Kaiba?"

No, but almost, Jounouchi thought grievously.

"No, but he's really going to kill me now."

Mai raised a brow.

"I need to borrow the bathroom." Jounouchi finally mumbled, wrapping the blanket tightly around him.

Mai nodded quietly and directed him to the bathroom.

* * *

  
Done with his cold shower and clad in pants and a t-shirt which Mai had retrieved for him from his room, Jounouchi left the bathroom to find Mai sitting on the bed alone in the bedroom.

"I sent Harpy over to Mahaado and Isis's." Mai informed helpfully, indicating that Jounouchi should sit down with her, "What happened, you want to talk?"

Jounouchi sat down on the edge of the bed and nodded obligingly before burying his face into his hands.

"I screwed up the whole thing." He moaned.

"I take it you were trying to sleep with Kaiba." Mai prompted for him to continue.

"I don't know why, I'm fine with girls! With you! But with Kaiba, maybe because he's a guy, I just get completely screwed up."

"Uh huh."

"And just now, he wanted to take off my boxers-"

Mai was one person he could talk with about his intimate sex details without feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable, probably because they had been together for the last ten years. "I kicked him - you know where..."

Mai's face crinkled to a look of absolute sympathy for Kaiba.

"For the second time." Jounouchi blurted.

"That sounds really bad." Mai remarked.

"If I go back now, Kaiba's going to kill me, throw me into the Nile River and you guys will probably never find my pieces again, ever."

Mai moved herself across the bed until she was sitting beside Jounouchi.

Jounouchi moaned and buried his face deeper into his hands.

"I just can't have sex with him!" Jounouchi clawed at his hair, utterly frustrated. He loved Kaiba, he enjoyed kissing, necking, hugging Kaiba, but he just couldn't bring himself to have sex with him.

Why?

"So, what do you intend to do now?"

Jounouchi shook his head dejectedly. "I think I'll be taking the couch tonight."

"You have to go back, Jou."

What for?

"I screwed up,"

"Yes." Mai nodded firmly, "But leaving Kaiba up there alone in pain after you hurt him, is probably the worst thing you can do to your lover, besides kicking him in you know where, and not to mention, you probably shattered his ego and pride."

Jounouchi sighed. It was inevitable; he had to return, to at least check if Kaiba was still alive.

"I will. Just, thanks, Mai." Jounouchi said softly as he hugged her thankfully.

* * *

  
The pain was subsiding, but slowly. Too slowly.

Kaiba opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling fan. Though he was lying on his back on the bed, he didn't need to sit up to know that his puppy was no longer in the room. He had heard the door swing open and then slam close.

Drawing in a deep breath and concentrating on every other thing, other then his pain, he frowned. The puppy was so going to pay for what he did.

The last kick on Noa's Ark, Kaiba had decided he more or less deserved it, and let it pass, but this time, the second time, there was no way he wasn't going to punish the puppy. But then again, he would have to find his puppy first.

He had no idea where Jounouchi had gone. He had heard the loud stomping of Jounouchi stampeding down the stairs and one of the doors downstairs opening and closing. Jounouchi could be in one of the rooms below, or somewhere out on the beach, or probably five hundred miles down the road by now, escaping from him.

The wooden boards leading up to his room was creaking.

Kaiba concentrated on the steps as they neared his door.

Finally, the wooden door swung open, and a particular puppy, with a very apologetic look on his face entered the room.

"Seto, are you alright?" His puppy asked, eyes filled with concern and evident guilt. That sorrowful pair of eyes was enough to make Kaiba forget completely about his earlier plans to torture the puppy.

"I'll live." Kaiba answered tolerantly, lifting a head up to watch his puppy, who had apparently taken a shower and was fully clothed again, with the blanket from their room still tightly wrapped around him.

"Were you that frightened?"

"Not frightened, just too nervous." Jounouchi confessed awkwardly, "And probably too excited."

Kaiba managed to crawl up, ignoring the pulsing pain and pull Jounouchi into his lap, feeling Jounouchi tense up as their body touched.

"I'm not going to do anything to you, Katsuya." Kaiba assured, resisting the urge to kick Jounouchi back in the same place, as well as the desire to make love to him.

Even if he wanted to, his body definitely wasn't up to it either.

Jounouchi relaxed and cuddled up against him as Kaiba leaned back against pillows.

Kaiba pulled the blanket off Jounouchi and wrapped his arms around him.

Jounouchi barely flinched this time round.

Only then did Kaiba fully understand Jounouchi's aversion to making love with him.

Jounouchi did love him, like to cuddle up with him, kiss him, neck with him, but Jounouchi was fearful and too nervous when it came to making love. In other words, Jounouchi was in a way, scared of having male sex.

It wasn't going to be a simple problem to solve, and definitely not something that could be dissolved over time - maybe yes, but not for a very long time.

Not that Kaiba was unwilling to wait that long, but he definitely had to do something about it in the future.

Sighing silently, he pulled Jounouchi's head up onto his chest, feeling Jounouchi curl up to him.

"Go to sleep." Kaiba murmured softly as he stroked the puppy's soft, blonde hair.

"Mn." Jounouchi grunted, his eyes closed, but Kaiba knew his lover was barely asleep, probably also re-evaluating and bothered about his inability to have sex with him. He could hear it in his grunt- the frustration, the anger, the helplessness.

Kaiba closed his eyes, knowing that it was going to a long while before the two of them would actually fall asleep.

_To be continued..._

* * *

**Authors' Comments:**

1) Long long chapter, 40 pages... so we delayed posting it. According to our calculations, we have about another ten chapters before the story ends.

2) Katsu don is pork chop with rice. Katsu actually sort of means pork chop...

3) Ryouta Kajiki = English dubbed Mako Tsunami, the aqua duelist.

4) To fiby. So glad that Family of Dragons is your first story that you reviewed! Feel free to review more. , And to all readers, don't worry, we will NEVER discontinue a fic. But ideas are coming a bit slow and we are busier now. Enjoy.

5) To, Tyrone I.G. Shawver, actually the grammar and spelling errors are everywhere... mayu yells and kicks around in frustration after checking twenty times and still seeing them on FFN... perfection obsessive...

6) To Anime Ruby. Thank you for the cookie! jump with joy Accepts cookie happily. mayu and miyabi fight over the one cookie. Cookie crumples. Joey the puppy licks it up. Next time, give two?

7) To Lil'wystynyra. .... That WAS long. We NEEDED a gay couple. Bakura and Honda were the best we could get. hides away from your glare. Bakura, Marik and Yami are all gone. Maybe not dead, but gone, permanently in the comic. Thud.... thwack... did it look like Shizuka beating up Jounouchi? sweatdrops

8) Last of the manga book 38 (translated) finally out! But well, that also spells the end of the Yugioh manga series...

9) Wish to reply everyone, but can't. Nonetheless, sincere thanks to TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar aka Firey Kitty, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK04, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, Marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6, K.M.A, ArticaMarsial, Konniwa, Sly Kitsune, silverKitty2525, Macbeth's Mistress, Dragna Vey, sapphire-wolf1, Johnny-Depp-Luv, Slate Grey, Abyssinian Rose, Midnight Ember, fiby, Cat, Faia Ookami, Jenniyah, Vluko1, IBK, lil-Jenny, Hideki LaShae, Tyrone I.G. Shawver, AnimeRuby, ColeyCarissa, lilworros, Lil'wystynyra, Shadowy Fluffball and many more who has yet to leave a name, for your support!


	16. Chapter 14: Meet the Parents

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Kaiba stared into the stern, blue eyes that were starring back at him.

His face was a mask shaped from years of tightly disciplined emotions, allowed to convey only confidence and arrogance, if not scornfulness. But yet beneath that mask, he was as tense as when he had first met and challenged Gozaburo. But even back then, he had kept his face straight and put up a strong front.

He turned to leave the bathroom, pausing only to dry his hands on the hand towel hanging by the sink, and stealing one last glance at his façade in the mirror.

A confident pretense was the first step to success and winning, Kaiba always believed. Showing weakness was an open invitation to failure and death, he had learnt at an early age when his natural parents died. Being weak meant being bullied by older boys and looked down upon by adults.

The belief was further fortified when he ascended to the throne of Kaiba Corporation at the young age of fifteen, when other boys of his age had no idea of what an Economics demand and supple curve was. Other companies were immediately out to get him, hoping to crush the 'boy'. Members of the board - both that had supported him in the take-over as well as those who had supported Gozaburo, had even tried to stage a hostile take-over of the company.

And when that happened, a mere pretense of confidence and arrogance was probably not enough. Aptitude and strategies were necessary, and too unfortunately for those revolutionaries, Seto Kaiba had both, even before he defeated Gozaburo in the fateful game of chess.

Nevertheless, aptitude and strategies were not going to help him in his current situation. Charisma seemed more like the solution, but that was something he did not really possess and was not going to suddenly develop.

His current situation - trying to solve a serious diplomatic issue while staring at his own reflection in a bathroom in Jounouchi's house.

A meet-the-in-laws session was by far the most challenging issue he had to deal with. Admittedly, it was his first time having to go through such an experience. His previous relationships, though serious, had never once reached the situation when he had to meet his lovers' parents.

And meeting Jounouchi's parents were a complete nerve-wrecking experience, much worse than his first board meeting or the chess game with Gozaburo.

Yugi's description of Jounouchi's mother was almost on the dot, he had discovered.

The lady did not openly intervene in their relationship, though her distaste for him was for all to see. She didn't scream, yell or made a fuss over her son's relationship with him when they were spotted exchanging goodnight hugs and kisses the previous week after their custom Friday night date, much unlike how Kaiba had anticipated.

They had both been exhausted that particular Friday night, having been experimenting with a developing duel disk Kaiba was working on along with Mokuba and Rebecca. Whatever common sense and rationality they both had were lost by the time he pulled up a bit further down the street, nearer to Jounouchi's house to drop the puppy off. And by some phenomenal timing, Jounouchi's four parents happened to be returning from the cinema with Jono and Seth after watching the latest Duel Monster movie and happily discovered their son kissing another man more than passionately in a car barely ten feet away from their front door.

And that was why he was forced to meet up with his puppy's parents before he could come up with a diplomatic way to deal with Jounouchi's mother.

Nonetheless, Jounouchi's mother's reaction was somehow a disappointment to Kaiba. He had rather she was openly resistant to the relationship. Instead, the mother had simply treated Kaiba like an invisible man, there was not even a chance for him to make a come back.

She had been the first of the four parents to snap back into reality from the shock of seeing their son kissing another man. A low, "Good evening" was the first and last word that exchanged before he was given cold shoulder for the rest of time, and most probably – for the rest of eternity.

Kaiba could almost feel sympathy for her. Their eyes had met once earlier the day when he had arrived with Kisara. He had saw hurt, anger and slight resentment in them, along with some disappointment. There was a painful turmoil going on in her heart, a lashing hurt at realizing that her only son was a homosexual, and a bitter frustration at being unable to do anything about it, and most probably regret that she hadn't been there when with her son through his teenage years which might have led him to a 'twisted' sex preference.

Kaiba supposed that any parent would have been upset, inwardly, he suspected his own natural parents were probably turning in their graves.

Stepping out of the bathroom – his little room where he had spent a few minutes for private thoughts – he eyed Jounouchi, who was busy laughing with his two fathers and newly acquired brother at the couch.

Jounouchi's two fathers and brother-in-law were unsurprisingly civil and at friendly terms with him. But the most miraculous part was that Shizuka seemed to have gotten over her aversion towards him and was no longer glaring at him, but rather, all smiles at him.

Jounouchi's puppies probably had something to do with that, but he would have to figure that out later.

And speaking of puppies, Joey, the Golden Retriever pup was chewing on his toes again, his cold feet was tingling between the warm wet tongue.

"No, puppy. No." Kaiba ordered quietly, trying to weave around the puppy towards the couch while taking extra precaution not to squash the puppy's paws. No success there, the golden fur ball was squirming around his feet playfully, demanding to be entertained. It was totally beyond him why the puppy was so amiable towards him.

"Joey, come here." Jounouchi finally called from the couch. The puppy bounded off to his master and Kaiba took the opportunity to stumble over.

"Did I miss anything?" Kaiba asked, trying to be as casual as he could. Joey's attention was quickly diverted back to Kaiba as soon as he sat down beside Jounouchi and Kaiba found his face cleaned up thoroughly by the puppy's lapping tongue.

"Not really." Jounouchi answered, pulling the mischievous puppy away from a grateful Kaiba and tucking it firmly between beside the armrest. "We were talking about my dad's stash of wine and alcohol which is currently hidden below the couch where we're sitting. The women of the house have no idea about it."

"They'll kill me if they know." Jounouchi's father whispered, looking out for the women in the kitchen before turning to Kaiba with great interest, "So, what kind of wine do you recommend, Seto? I'm sure you go around savouring different types of wine on business trips."

"I don't drink." Kaiba admitted, 'But I'll recommend Two Oceans, for easy drinking."

"Ah, Chardonnay." Jounouchi's father nodded, "I loved that. On the nose there's an abundance of citrus fruit with vanilla oak flavours. And on the palate, the wine is medium bodied with a good balance between the fruit and the oak flavours."

"Good with salads and white meat." Jounouchi's other father added.

Kaiba nodded absently, not having actually tasted the wine himself, but his wine cellar did collect an abundance of wine bottles. Gozaburo had enjoyed them and went to great extends to collect the different assortments of alcoholic beverages, ranging from Chinese wine to American beer. Kaiba found them almost useless and a waste of storage space, worthy only of giving away as extra gifts to guests. But nonetheless, he did take the pain of learning all the different wines and their fragrance – solely for business reasons – even if he could not drink them.

And currently, it seemed that his investment was finally put into good use.

"Katsuya, go get a few glasses from the kitchen." Jounouchi's father ordered, having snuck an old bottle of Jim Bean out from under the couch, "Let's just have a few glasses."

"I-" Kaiba started, but was quickly interrupted by his puppy.

"I'll get you soft drinks." Jounouchi assured and stood up.

The golden puppy took the chance to pounce on Kaiba again, and once again latched its tongue on to his nose.

"Joey really likes you." Otogi commented as Jounouchi disappeared from Kaiba's view.

Kaiba pulled the puppy away from his face and stared at the large innocent eyes – one of its eye glazed, indicating that it was partially blinded. Nonetheless, the brown eyes were guiltless and fearless as they stared back at him, deep brown orbs that reflected his own blue eyes. And for an instant, Kaiba felt he was staring at another puppy, his puppy, Jounouchi's eyes.

And there was also the familiar faint smell of vanilla from the puppy's silky fur.

Amused at the thought, he pulled the puppy forward and planted one quick light kiss on the lid of the blinded eye before answering Otogi.

"Most puppies do."

* * *

Jono sat cross-legged on the floor of his room staring at his twin and Kisara acting out one of the last few scenes of the play. The opening of the play was just another two weeks and they haven't rehearsed much of it yet, and Miss Tomato – or was it Miss Yamato? Jono wasn't sure. Never mind, that wasn't important much.

The point was, the opening of the play was approaching fast, and they weren't fully prepared yet.

Kisara's daddy hadn't bought her dress and neither had their daddy brought them to Aunt Mai's shop to have their clothes tailored made. The props were not finished and the background sceneries not completed by their classmates yet. It was going to turn out into a terrible play if they didn't start hurrying up everything.

Fortunately, Kisara and her daddy had come to visit, and that gave them time to practise the last few parts. And as he watched, he replayed his lines in his mind that daddy had slowly read with him to help him memorise. But really, having watched Seth and Kisara practise their scenes so many times, he could almost memorise all of Seth and Kisara's lines too.

"Ay! What fools these mortals be!" Seth begun as he strolled hand-in-hand with Kisara to the centre of the room. Turning around and smirking at the tricked spectators, he continued, "They are all tricked by my disguise, even the princess herself. I shall marry her and become the lord of these lands myself!"

"Sweet prince, my Blue Eyed Dragon Prince," Kisara paused in the room, smiling innocently, "Wilt thou hear some music and dance with me?"

"Aye, Lady Holy Elf," Seth nodded, bowing and taking Kisara's hands and leading her into a dance.

Right foot forward, right foot backwards...

Move to the left, move to the right... and then left again -

"Aw!" Seth yelped as Kisara's foot planted right onto his.

Jono snickered at a side. "Fifth time."

"Oopsy, sorry." Kisara mutter sheepishly, "I keep getting my left and right feet wrong. I'll get daddy to help me when I get home."

"It's alright." Seth shrugged, rubbing his bruised toe painfully, "Grandma had a painful time trying to teach me how to waltz too. But let's continue and finish this scene before dinner."

Kisara nodded, and drew in a breath, "Sweet prince, my Blue Eyed Dragon Prince. Wilt thou hear some music and dance with me?"

"Aye, Lady Elf..." Seth bowed graciously and took Kisara's hands again.

They twirled about the room while Jono hummed along to a waltz.

"Aw!" Seth yapped again as Kisara pinched his toes, again.

"Whoops sorry, Jono!"

Seth paused, "I'm Seth, Kisara. Jono is over there."

The blue eyed little girl stuck a tongue out, "Sorry Seth. I keep forgetting that you are Seth. I keep thinking that Jono is the Red Eyes Black Dragon Prince. It's so strange that you are Red Eyes while Jono is Blue Eyes."

"Ha." Seth shrugged, "Sometimes Jono and I get confused ourselves too."

Jono nodded in agreement, "Last night when we were practising the scene where the two dragons were sparring with each other, we got confused and Seth ended up taking my role as Blue Eyes."

"It's so difficult." Seth complained, "If only we could exchange our parts. It'll be easier."

"Well," Kisara grinned, "It's not like anyone would find out if the both of you exchanged roles during the performance. That's what is so fun about being twins, isn't it? Anyway, can we just skip the dancing part and go on first?"

"Okay." Seth agreed, "Let's skip the dance and begin from where the dance ended. And Jono, you have to prepare for your part too."

"Kay, no problem." Jono nodded as he stood up and crawled into the closet.

Kisara started her recital "O, sweet prince, how I love thee! How I dote on thee! I shall announce you as my husband to my people."

"Of course, Lady Holy Elf." Seth delivered smugly while being led to the throne, a chair where Holy Elf's father supposedly sat.

Then Kisara turned to face her people and announced, "My people, I take him, White Dragon prince to be my husband and your future Lord!"

"No, Princess!" Jono jumped out of the closet, revealing that he was the real White Dragon Prince, "He's fake! I'm the real White Dragon prince!"

Holy Elf gasped.

A wide smirk spread across Seth's face, strikingly resembling a particular Kaiba as Princess Holy Elf's face fell.

"Ha, you've all be fooled!" Seth pronounced, "I am Red Eyes Black Dragon! Foolish princess, you've taken me as your husband. And I am now the Lord of this land!"

"You are not!" Jono declared, "I shall fight you!"

The twins both grabbed long rulers stuck between the waist hems of their pants and pierced at each other furiously, having practised till late the previous night and both eager to show off their skills to Kisara.

"Take this!" Jono declared and stabbed the sword into Seth's arm.

Seth mustered a cry of pain and fell back helplessly.

Jono towered above his other twin and said, "I shall not destroy you, Black Dragon. You are under the spell of the evil sorcerer. Swear your loyalty towards us and the spell shall be broken."

"I swear." Seth nodded.

Jono paused, "This is the part where the evil sorcerer appears and attacks the White Dragon. Do we practise it too?"

Seth bit his lips in deep thought, 'We'll skip the parts till where the Holy Elf revives the White Dragon."

Jono sucked in a lungful of air. Seth raised a brow.

"Can we rest first?" Kisara raised a hand abruptly. "I'm tired from all the dancing and hungry too."

Jono heaved a sigh of relief, glad that he could put off the next scene for some more time, "Kay, I'll go down and get drinks from the kitchen."

"I'll go with you." Seth added quickly.

"I'm staying here." Kisara admitted, "I'm scared of your grandma, she doesn't seem to like my daddy."

"Huh? Okay." Jono nodded and the twins scrambled out the room.

* * *

Jounouchi had barely stepped into the kitchen when the hushed whispers of his two mothers halted him. Apparently, they were talking about Kaiba and from the critical tone of his mother, it was obvious that Seto would find his mother a much more massive headache than those the CEO frequently sustained from working overtime added up together.

He considered interrupting them, but then curiosity rose like an evil plague and Jounouchi stood by the closed kitchen door, craning his ear to listen to the conversation.

"Well, just treat Seto as a son." His father's wife advised.

"A son like Seto Kaiba? That would either be the greatest blessing or curse, considering how stunningly notorious his reputation is – he killed his own adoptive father." Jounouchi's mother shot back, "And I don't even want to think about them getting married."

God, that was harsh. Jounouchi perked his brows.

"That's only a rumour. Plus, you'll have a granddaughter. Kisara is a very pretty little thing, isn't she?"

Ever sweet, that is, his father's new wife. She was that kind of sweet genuine, charitable lady who never wore jeans or T-shirts, instead always wearing skirts and blouses.

"She's not a Jounouchi." Jounouchi's mother declared.

"She's not a Kaiba either." Shizuka's voice interrupted, "She was adopted by Seto."

Jounouchi was surprised. He knew that Shizuka had astonishingly somehow changed her thoughts about Kaiba not long after they returned from the beach trip, but he hadn't expected her to actually stand in line with him, sort of against their mother. Shizuka was obviously, very close to their mother.

"Oh. How nice of Seto." His other mother marvelled, "Now where else can Katsuya find a better man like Seto, with all his riches and-"

"I refuse to have Seto as my daughter-in-law." Jounouchi's mother pointed out dejectedly, "I want a normal daughter-in-law who does gardening, cooking, washes dishes, chat about grandchildren and go shopping with me."

"From what I heard." Shizuka said quietly, "Seto can cook very well, and brother enjoys his cooking."

"But he doesn't garden and shop, does he?"

The last sentence struck Jounouchi as an interesting thought as he tried imagining Seto, perched before a rose plant, digging and weeding with his mother. Nah, his mother would probably pitch Kaiba into a sand pit, poke him with a shovel and bury him.

"Not all daughter-in-laws garden and shop." Shizuka argued, "I don't and -"

The door slid open and Jounouchi fell nose first into the kitchen, falling onto Shizuka. The siblings untangled themselves as their mothers gaped at them.

"Er, any soft drinks?" He managed lamely as Shizuka grinned knowingly and brushed past him to exit.

"The refrigerator." His mother replied, busy over slicing apples, "Dinner is almost ready, and tell both your dads to keep their butts away from that stash of beer. I know where they keep them."

"Oh, okay." Retrieving a few drinks from the cooler, Jounouchi prompted casually, leaning against the kitchen sink, "Mom, how do you feel about Seto?"

He regretted it right after the question came out. It seemed as if the moment was passed with everyone staring at his mom and everything was run in slow motion. Time seemed endless as he observed his mother's face, aged with deep laugh lines and some indistinctive but evident wrinkles of sorrow and hardship. It was almost not filial to have asked that question as his watched his mother in deep thought.

Finally, his mom stated dryly, serving the apples in a big fruit plate, "I don't know him."

"You didn't try to know him." Jounouchi admonished quietly.

"I don't want to know him." His mother answered obstinately. "And I don't want him as a daughter-in-law."

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Who said anything about marrying him?"

His mother tossed the fruit knife which she had been using into the sink.

"So this is a fling? Just an opportunity to infuriate your mother?"

Jounouchi eyed the knife warily. Had his mom missed by few degrees, they would be calling the ambulance by now. He chose his words carefully, trying not to sound too harsh. "No. But if you have to see it that way, there's nothing I can do except feel sorry for you."

His mother was still staring at him as he turned and left the kitchen.

* * *

"Jono, why do you so hate practising the last scene?" Seth pressed as the two brothers stumbled down the stairs noisily.

Jono frowned and bit his lips.

"Jono?" Seth grasped his twin's hand, "We are twins. You can tell me anything."

"Because I don't want to kiss Kisara."

Seth raised his brows, very confused, "Why not?"

"Because she's a girl."

"And?"

"I'm a boy."

"Yeah?"

"And she doesn't like me." Jono sighed, "She likes you more."

That was quite true, Seth decided, Kisara herself had announced it during their beach trip. "So..."

"So I feel bad about kissing a girl who doesn't like me." Jono shrugged and then added, "Especially on stage, in front of everyone."

"Oh." Seth nodded, understanding what Jono meant immediately. It was one of those principles that Jono was sensitive about. Jono didn't like to kiss girls who didn't like him, just like Seth didn't like people talking about washing his underwear. These were issues that adults probably couldn't help them with and they would just have to deal with them by helping each other.

"If it's really a very big thing for you, and you don't want to do it," Seth started, a smirk spreading on his face. "I have a plan."

* * *

Kaiba found it difficult to keep his calm as he followed Jounouchi's father to the study room.

The conversation had somehow drifted from company policies to job interviews and, eventually lie-detectors.

"Does Kaiba Corporation use lie detectors during interviews?" Jounouchi's father asked as they entered the brightly-lit wood-based study-room.

"No. But we do a complete assessment on the candidate and his background before the interview." Kaiba answered truthfully as Jounouchi's father motioned for him to take a sit on a couch.

"Relax. Just treat it as a routine medical check-up." Jounouchi's father reassured as he pushed a large tray with a lie detector on it towards the couch. Jounouchi's other father and Otogi flashed a comforting smile at him.

"Relax, I had to go through the whole thing before I got to date Shizuka." Otogi informed helpfully.

There was a slight pause in the room before Otogi added. "And many more times during our dating period and before we got married."

If it wasn't rude to do so, Kaiba would have burst out laughing. The whole thing was ridiculous! That is, the idea of doing an honesty test. Besides, who keeps a large lie detector at home?

"Anything you say from this point onwards will be assessed by the lie detector." Jounouchi's father winked as he put on the pneumograph tube around Kaiba's chest, an ordinary blood-pressure cuff, and electrodes on the fingers and surfaces of Kaiba's hand.

"Just take it as a truth-or-dare session." Otogi interrupted. "Except there are no dares."

"How interesting." Kaiba replied dryly. Jounouchi had the strangest family. First there was a sister who openly showed her distaste to him, yet changed her attitude as soon as the monsoon changed, then there was a mother who treated him like an invisible man, and then there was a father who owned a lie-detector... Not to forget that both parents had divorced and remarried. The whole family was intriguingly normal-not. Kaiba could describe them with only one word - exotic. And yeah, that included Katsuya, who was a single parent cum homosexual.

"Here goes. Question one: How long have you known Katsuya?" Jounouchi's father started.

It was a simple question, one that barely required the lie detector.

Kaiba answered easily. "Since high school. We were in the same high school. But we weren't on good terms back then. I went to US after graduation, and came back just about half a year ago. We met again at the therapist centre."

"Mn..." Jounouchi's father concentrated on the polygraph. There were no visible changes in Kaiba's pulse, blood pressure, respiration or whatsoever.

"Two could play this game." Kaiba remarked. "I don't have a lie detector to hook you up to but you can still answer my questions, truthfully. Are you against Katsuya being with me?"

Jounouchi's father looked absolutely startled. If he had a lie detector attached, Kaiba could have swore the blood pressure and pulse would have sky-rocketed.

"Not really.' The middle-aged man mumbled incoherently. "Next question! How long have you been homosexual?"

Kaiba noted that the fellow men in the room blushed ever so lightly at the word homosexual. His polygraph, on the other hand proved him to be still as calm as ever.

"Bisexual." Kaiba corrected. "Junior High. I kissed the school doctor. He was homosexual. But that was all it got to."

"What happened?" Otogi prompted curiously.

Kaiba shrugged. "I graduated and went to high school. In high school I couldn't be bothered with relationships. I had Kaiba Corporation to deal with."

The three men nodded knowingly.

"Is Katsuya's mother against me with Katsuya?"

The three men glanced at one another.

"You know mothers." The elder Jounouchi answered sheepishly. "No one is ever good enough for their children. Ryuji received the same treatment initially. Next, why Katsuya?"

While Kaiba tried to appear calm, his polygraph proved him otherwise - just for an instant when all three pulse, respiration and blood pressure shot up drastically.

Calming himself, Kaiba searched through his mind of an answer. It was a question that had been bugging him since the day he had first kissed Katsuya on the beach.

Why him?

Of all the men and women he could fall in love with...

The world had a population of 6,449,635,209, Japan having a population of 127,853,600, with 52% of them being females, and he had to fall in love with Katsuya Jounouchi.

"I don't know." Kaiba confessed. There was no use lying and no lie that could cover it up. Besides, it was the best answer under any circumstances.

There was a light silence between the men as Jounouchi's father searched for another question.

"Why-" Kaiba started.

"Wait. You didn't exactly answer my previous question, so you get to answer another question." The aged man interrupted, "Do you find Katsuya sexually attractive?"

The readings on the graph shot up bizarrely as Kaiba digested the question, pondering on the answer. The question was almost hilarious, considering the two painful experiences he had suffered through while trying to sleep with his lover. Yet then it was still true. Katsuya was sexually attractive to him.

"Katsuya is very attractive. I would have used beautiful to describe him if it didn't sound like an insult. But sex is not all it is about, I like Katsuya's personality." Kaiba answered truthfully, "My turn. Why does everyone think that I'm playing with Katsuya?"

"Everyone?" Otogi echoed.

Kaiba nodded slowly. "Yugi, Bakura, the two had me to a coffee session which was as good as another interrogation like this."

He watched as Jounouchi's father sighed heavily, seemingly exhausted and having aged ten years in a just a breath, "Seto. You are a father yourself; surely you understand the pains and fear of seeing your child walk out of the door. One day Katsuya was still playing baseball with me, and the next, he's out dating and forgetting me faster than I can tell him to come home for dinner."

Kaiba kept quiet, trying to imagine Kisara having grown up and started dating. Mokuba's teen years had been a terrible time for the brothers. Kaiba had to practically check the younger Kaiba's room and closets every few minutes to make sure Mokuba was not hiding any girls around. It wasn't until Mokuba was in High school that he gave up the restrictions, but by that time, Mokuba was fortunately sensible and responsible enough to finally understand the existence of hotels.

But back to the point, if Kisara actually started dating...

And grew up like Mokuba...

God, that was horrifying. He didn't want to go through those years again. The gas chambers would be a total blessing as compared.

Kaiba glanced at his polygraph; his previous seconds of thoughts and worries were totally reflected in the readings.

"I wasn't able to give him a very happy childhood." The elder man continued, "Now all I want is to make sure he has a happy future."

He recovered quickly, watching as the polygraph lines smoothened again. "I assure you. Katsuya is very happy with me."

* * *

Reaching the kitchen, Seth and Jono found their grandma fuming at the stove, barely intent on making the soup. They could have sworn that little clouds of black smoke were puffing out of her ears.

Their other grandmother and Aunt Shizuka shot them a smile as they filed out to set the table. Turning to each other, both twins had no idea why their grandma was not happy, but there was a hinge that it probably had something to do with Kisara's daddy.

"Grandma, I'm hungry." Jono piped quietly as Seth collected three packet drinks from the refrigerator, "When's dinner ready?"

"In a few minutes, munchkins." The reply came. "Go wash your hands and gather everyone into the living room."

"Grandpa is playing the lie detector with Kisara's daddy in the study room." Seth informed and watched as their grandma turned around to face them, her face serious and grave.

"Seth, Jono. Do the two of you like Seto Kaiba?"

Seth turned to look at Jono, unsure of what to say. He didn't want to hurt his grandma's feelings, but honesty was what their daddy and Miss Yamato always taught them in school.

"I like Kisara's daddy." Jono declared, smiling convincingly, "He's very nice, and very cool!"

"Really?"

"He helped daddy to enrol us into the school." Jono added, "And he sponsored Swiss balls for the school! We get to sit on big bouncy balls instead of chairs. The balls are really fun. Sometimes Kisara rolls right off hers."

"So the both of you like him with your daddy?"

"Well," Seth replied thoughtfully, "Daddy looks happier with Kisara's daddy, much more than the times when he was with Aunt Mai."

That seemingly surprised their grandma as the twins watched her gaze solicitously far off. It was the same look their Aunt Shizuka had when they were telling her about Kisara's daddy – except; Aunt Shizuka had seemed to understand more on what Aunt Mai had meant to their daddy.

The dog flap on the patio door swing open and Yami, their black cat stalked in, paws mucky from spending the entire afternoon in muddy tracks.

"Yami, you're not walking into my kitchen with your paws all dirty!" Their grandma snapped out of her thoughts and picked the squirming black tabby, white only on one of its front paws, and promptly wiped the cat's paw clean.

"Well." Seth supplemented quietly, "From what Uncle Bakura told me, daddy and Kisara's daddy used to be like Yami and Joey, they were always fighting like cats and dogs. But now they are best of friends and very happy together like Joey and Yami."

"Yes, munchkin, but cats and dogs are not meant to be together." Their grandma replied indisputably before turning her attention back on the squirming cat, "There, you can go now, Yami."

"Grandma." Jono interrupted, "You're funny."

"Oh and why's that?"

"You make a fuss over Yami making a mess when you are making one yourself, just right now." Jono explained, pointing at the stove when the pot of soup was happily boiling and spilling over.

"Whoopsy." Seth stuck out a tongue and ran for cover behind the preparation table with Jono. Yami snarled, pounced off the table and scampered to the kitchen door as they watched in amusement at their grandma hurry over to the stove to turn off the gas.

"Oh my soup. Hope it isn't burnt. Okay, you two little munchkins. Out now. The kitchen is very dangerous for small boys like you." Their grandma instructed as she cleaned up the stove, "Tell everyone to come down for dinner at seven. And then, come back and get ready for dinner."

"Okay." The two grinned, scooped up Yami and headed back to their room to introduce Kisara to their black cat.

* * *

Kaiba's eyes wandered across the dim room, studying very detail of the room - Katsuya's room.

Light blue walls with ceilings of the same colour. A single bed occupied most of the space of the room. A large bookshelf packed with books stood sturdily between the bed and the door leading outside, opposite of a closet and a study table. One glance at the books on the shelves and table told him it was mostly either magazines or books on animals and healing animals.

It wasn't a neat room by his standards, a towel and several discarded clothing lying hap-hazard across the room, magazines and children's toys occupied half of the floor, and finally, photographs and newspapers took up whatever remained of the lacquered floor.

For a brief moment, Kaiba wondered what was so interesting in the photographs that Jounouchi had them scattered all over the room, some tacked onto the walls, and others piled onto the study table. The question was quickly answered as he gingerly picked one stack of photos off the table. Jounouchi had scrawled almost illegible words on a piece of post - it tagged to the photos: Seto.

Standing alone in the dark room, Kaiba flipped through the photos, straining to see the details in the dark.

There were only a handful of photos on the stack, less than twenty, but every single one of them had him in it, some accidentally shot with him in a corner, others were photos the class monitor had painfully convinced him to take as class photos and class memoirs.

Kaiba allowed his eyes to linger longer on his old self. He rarely took photographs; the only few at home were those meagre shots that Mokuba pleaded with him to take. Photographs were symbols of the past, and he had no use for the past. He had denied his past for years, since being adopted by Gozaburo. His own history had been nothing but a period of silent anguish, a history he had no interest in leaving any documentation. It was only after leaving Japan did he start taking more photographs. It was inevitable. By then Kaiba Corporation had became an international trade name, he had to deal with photographing sessions, press interviews everyday.

The door creaked open behind him. Strong vanilla filled the room.

"Seto?" Jounouchi's voice called out softly.

"Mn?" Kaiba dropped the photos back onto their original places.

A peaceful silence prevailed.

A warm ball of hair buried into his back as a pair of arms tightened around his waist. Kaiba took a deep breathe as Jounouchi rested his head onto his back.

"I saw you coming in." Jounouchi mumbled into his back.

"Are you drunk? You usually aren't so affectionate." Kaiba murmured as he pulled Jounouchi's arms tighter around him.

"Not drunk." Jounouchi whispered, "But you looked so lonely standing in here alone."

"Mn." Kaiba grunted as he sighed heavily.

"That night at the beach house." Jounouchi started.

Kaiba spun around and grabbed Jounouchi on the shoulders firmly. His lips touched Jounouchi's, the softest kiss either of them had ever felt.

Like velvet.

Jounouchi returned his kisses with eagerness after the first initial hesitant.

Kaiba pulled Jounouchi closer and deepened the kisses, Jounouchi's last words echoing in his mind.

_That night at the beach house..._

The frustration that had been held back since the night suddenly flared into an uncontrollable fury.

They could kiss like this. They could neck, they could say that they love each other if they want. They've seen each other's physiques and openly showed their desire for one another yet - both emotional and sexual desires. They've officially dated for a couple of months, much longer if they counted the days since they first kissed at the beach- yet they couldn't even have sex together!

Stubbornly, his tongue forced Jounouchi's lips to part, the forcefulness seemingly to stun Jounouchi for a moment. Ignoring his lover's shock, he sucked on his lover's tongue, biting on the tongue gently every now and then-

Blood-

Jounouchi flung him off, with a look of shock on his face.

Kaiba landed on the bed and stared up into bewildered brown orbs.

"Sorry." He apologised lamely, watching Jounouchi's lips redden from the coppery liquid.

"I take that you've been meditating revenge on me for kicking you?"

Kaiba couldn't tell if Jounouchi was mad or amused. The expression seemed to tell of both.

"Maybe...Yes." Kaiba admitted. "Did I hurt you?"

"Probably not as much as I hurt you." Jounouchi replied, brushing a lock of hair from his eyes as he mover away and leaned back on the study table. A smooth delicate finger went up to the injured tongue and brushed against it.

"Katsuya." Kaiba sighed, "Why do you like me?"

"Huh?" Jounouchi looked absolutely surprised. "There's no why. I just like you, I guess."

"There must be a reason." Kaiba pressed.

"Mph. Fine. It's because you are a rich stuck-up moneybags with a walking fever of duelling craziness and total callousness.'

Kaiba raised a brow.

"But." Jounouchi continued, a playful grin on his face, "I still love you because you are a responsible, sensitive and most definitely caring father and lover who is simply trying to make the world better for those you care. I love it that you gave so many orphans a name and a good home. I love it when you work so hard and so demandingly to provide a fun land for all the children in the world. I love it when you strive to believe in your dream and ambition and are willing to go through all other people's cold shoulders."

Jounouchi paused, "And even if you bite me, I know it's because you love me so much and just want to eat me up."

Kaiba drew in a breath.

"So, Seto," Jounouchi teased, running his bleeding tongue over his lips. "Do you want to kiss it all better?"

That simply gesture was all the invitation and pardon he needed. He snagged his puppy's arm and pulled the standing blonde right into his lap. Jounouchi was a puppy, totally a puppy - so forgiving and loyal he wanted to pull out a leash and collar and label the puppy his. But yet, this puppy could be a ferocious predator at times, especially when it came down to the twins.

He met Jounouchi's open mouth once more and licked the bleeding tip of the tongue. Bitter. If only he had vanilla ice cream now, he would feed his puppy with the sweet flavour and get rid of that dull bitterness.

He dragged Jounouchi backwards onto the cool bed with him, attempting to incite his lover to a necking session.

"We don't have time, Seto." Jounouchi purred, lying atop him. "Dinner is ready any minute now."

"Just five minutes. That feels nice." Kaiba's lids close as warm breathe heated his cold skin.

"Seto, that's –"

A fury nose nuzzled his neck. Kaiba's lids fluttered open instantly.

"Joey!" Kaiba almost jumped, realizing that the warm comfortable nuzzling at his neck the previous seconds had been the Golden Retriever's work.

An innocently curious blonde puppy grinned down above him and ran a tongue down his neck. His lover, on the other hand had rolled off him prior to Joey's lying on him and was chuckling away sadistically.

"Bad boy, Joey." Jounouchi laughed, "Out, Joey."

The puppy wagged its tail, made a last successful attempt to lick Kaiba's face before disappearing out the dog flap at the bottom of Jounouchi's door.

"Silly mutt." Kaiba growled in mild exasperation.

"He's calling us for dinner."

Kaiba agreed quietly but took the opportunity to twist around and bury his face in Jounouchi's white fluffy pillow. The faint smell of vanilla and light cinnamon emitted from the cotton pillowcase.

"You, surprisingly, really like to cuddle." Jounouchi commented.

"Why so many photos?" Kaiba mumbled into the pillow, ignoring the last comment.

"Those?" Jounouchi glanced at the stacks of pictures, "Taken by the photography club and the school magazine society back in High School. You don't know how popular you actually were, but the photography club and some students actually took a lot of your photos and sold them to your fangirls, and of course to some guys who took your photos as dart targets."

"I take it you were in the latter group?" Kaiba mused.

Jounouchi snorted. "I'm not as low-leveled as them. Why destroy pathetic pieces of papers when I could be yelling at the real thing."

"Mn..." Kaiba flipped himself over. "And why do you have them with you?"

Jounouchi grinned and flipped himself onto his back. "I was one of those students who took photographs and sold them for big bucks. You were one of the most favoured and most profitable. I paid off plenty of my dad's debts with the profits from your photos."

"Mn..." Kaiba merely grunted.

The two spent the next few minutes simply enjoying the silent peace between them until Jounouchi suddenly burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"What?" Kaiba asked, not very displeased with the interrupted harmony.

"No..." Jounouchi answered chuckling, trying his best to stifle his laughter. "I just remembered what my mom was saying just now. She thought we were going to get married!"

At the word married, Jounouchi laughed even harder.

Kaiba sat up, recalling distractedly that during the gathering at Mai's house, Jounouchi had half-heartedly commented that they weren't going to get married.

Swallowing hard, Kaiba tried, "Will you marry me?"

Jounouchi paused in his laughing, his eyes widened, before lapsing into another uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"No, Katsuya. I'm serious." Kaiba repeated, his face grave.

Jounouchi stopped laughing instantly.

"You're serious." Jounouchi echoed matter-of-factly.

"Alright, maybe this is not an actual proposal to marriage. No rings, no church, no banquet, no need for parents consent." Kaiba paused. "I'm talking about your commitment and a legal registration."

"Legal registration?" Jounouchi sat up, looking at Kaiba in apprehension.

"Yes. Putting down on paper that we're legally together."

Jounouchi rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"That's crazy! Why would we need that?"

Kaiba frowned; Jounouchi not only had a fear of having male sex, but also slight Gamophobia - fear of marriage and commitment. This was just getting better.

"Last I heard," Kaiba started slowly, "Bakura and Honda are also legally married."

"I know, but that's them. They, are homosexuals! We, are..."

Kaiba watched as Jounouchi trailed off, the fact that he himself was in similar circumstances sinking in slowly.

"Homosexuals." Kaiba stated simply. He was starting to understand that Jounouchi's fear of male sex, commitment to a male-male marriage was based on his resistance to admitting that he himself was a homosexual.

"We'll talk about this another time." Jounouchi mumbled.

"Fine." Kaiba answered. Marriage was out of the question at the point, he was aware of that. The reason for asking was simply to see Jounouchi's response. Jounouchi had responded in a way Kaiba had more or less expected.

Kaiba sighed and fell back onto the bed, contemplating his next moves. The issue of sex was of more importance preceding marriage. Rolling onto his stomach as Jounouchi also laid back onto the bed, a small advertisement on a newspaper lying on the floor caught his sharp eyes.

**_SEX THERAPIST - call for an appointment now._**

Stretching, he picked up the newspaper as the door swung open.

"Erm, Mom told the kids to tell me to tell you that dinner's starting." Otogi informed awkwardly, watching them lie on the bed.

"Don't give us that look. We didn't do any thing." Jounouchi called out as the two of them crawled off the bed.

Otogi grinned back. "Somehow I find those words strikingly familiar, like I've said that before."

Jounouchi scowled and chased Otogi down the hall to the dining room.

Left alone, Kaiba tore off the advertisement clipping and stuff it into his wallet. It might just be of help...

* * *

"Dinner, Katsuya, come down now!" His mother's voice pierced through the house as he and Kaiba strolled down the steps.

"Yeah, coming." Jounouchi dutifully hollered down, then turned to Kaiba, "My mom thinks that the world would spin off its axis if we are not at the table by seven everyday."

"Ever thought of moving out with the kids?" Kaiba suggested casually.

"I tried, it was impossible to take care of the twins myself." Jounouchi answered carefully, fully aware of what Kaiba was hinting.

"I spoke to Mokuba about you moving-"

"Dinner first." Jounouchi cut in, beaming. "Talk later. I'm starving."

He hurried out the stairs with Kaiba behind him, knowing that Kaiba would pester him with the topic again after dinner. Not that he disliked the idea of living with Kaiba, but, the whole prospect seemed unimaginable.

Sure, he would enjoy Kaiba's company everyday; they would probably have breakfast together every morning and cuddle on the couch together on rainy nights.

But living together was more than that, he would get sick of seeing Kaiba everyday, or it might be the other way round, and they would probably quarrel and yell insults at each other again like they were back in High School. And as compared to that, he would rather they keep a distance from each other and just enjoy the peaceful times they had together, surprising and marvelling at each other.

Besides, he wanted to take care of his father.

Okay, that might be a lie. His father had a beautiful wife who could do a better job than him.

So maybe he was just too lazy to move out of his carefully laid out present situation and jump headfirst into a bizarre commitment. If it was ten year ago, or just seven years ago when Jono and Seth had not came into his life, he would have shifted straight out to live with his lover, but not now. It wasn't fear, just... plain laziness and the reluctance to part with his snug and routine life.

The sweet fragrance of food greeted his nose, and the issue of moving in with Kaiba was instantly thrown aside. Heck, food was more important for now.

"My mom made Honey Chicken." Jounouchi grinned, "It's one of my favourite foods. You should try it."

Kaiba looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I could make it for you everyday."

Jounouchi blinked. That was definitely unexpected. But sweet. Jounouchi almost beamed at the thought.

He couldn't actually imagine Kaiba standing in the kitchen marinating the chicken everyday and serving it to him, but still, it was a very stirring thought. If he were a girl, he might actually start crying. "Put more honey on your lips and I may actually consider moving it with you."

"Mph." Kaiba smirked, "I can actually put that honey to better use, like in bed."

Okay, the topic was back to sex. And that was a bad topic, especially when they were nearing his parents.

Ignoring the remark, he dragged Kaiba over to the crowded dining table and pulled the taller man down on the chair beside him.

"Daddy, look!" Kisara greeted happily sitting in opposite in between of Seth and Jono. "Aunt Shizuka taught me how to use chopsticks!"

Right, Jounouchi noted. His mother was quite peculiar about the proper use of chopsticks. Kisara, having been brought up in America probably had little use of those two wooden sticks until Kaiba brought her back to Domino City.

His two mothers served up the dishes, mostly all-time favourites of his and the family's.

"Don't worry about formalities or anything like that. We don't do those around here." Jounouchi's father said heartily.

"You must try this." His father's wife remarked encouragingly. "There are all Katsuya's favourites!"

Kaiba nodded and they proceeded with dinner. Jounouchi had no worries about his boyfriend's table etiquette, since Seto Kaiba, being the CEO of Kaiba Corporation probably had more protocol than his family had added together. In fact, Shizuka and his mothers seemed to be the ones who were observably, more affected by the presence of Kaiba, scrutinizing his every move carefully.

The meal proceeded only shortly when Kaiba suddenly stopped eating and looked away uncomfortably.

Jounouchi watched as Kaiba mumbled an apology and quickly excused himself from the table.

"Seto?" He called out hesitantly, reaping no reply from his lover who promptly ignored everyone's stares and disappeared into the living room.

Excusing himself, he pulled away from the dining table and followed into the living room, reaching just in time to see Kaiba grab his metal suitcase and disappear down the hallway.

"Seto?" Jounouchi called out again as he followed Kaiba down the hallway.

He thought he saw Kaiba crash into the bathroom door before forcing the door open and falling into it. The door slammed close.

"Seto? You alright? Let me in?" Jounouchi demanded as he knocked on the door lightly.

A slurred "Katsuya" prompted him to kick the door open; only to be greeted by the sight of his lover flopped over the washbasin, throwing up whatever he had eaten for lunch.

Kaiba looked terrible, if not horrifying. Cold sweat breaking out on his forehead and back, his wet shirt sticking to his back, his face too pink for his usual complexion.

Patting his lover on the back to sooth his throwing up, Jounouchi glanced around the room. The metal case which Kaiba had hastily picked up on his way into the bathroom was currently lying open on the bathroom floor, its contents scattered all over the tiles. A particular object caught his eyes - something he was familiar with, a syringe.

EpiPen.

A dose commonly used in controlling anaphylaxis.

The syringe was empty.

Seto was having an anaphylactic attack right then, right there.

"Shit! Seto! We've got to get you to a hospital!" Jounouchi yelled as he watched his lover collapse to the floor, wheezing for air. A quick felt of Kaiba's throat told him that Kaiba's vocal cords and breathing tubes were swollen and closing off.

"Seto!" Jounouchi hissed, grabbing his lover's off the floor. "Don't go to sleep!"

He watched as his lover's eyes fluttered open, but barely.

"I'mveadycondacdehosiii..." Kaiba mumbled in a voice that was raspy and barely audible

"What?" Jounouchi strained, trying to decipher what he was saying.

"I'vcondacdehosidal." Kaiba repeated, wheezing for air.

"I'm getting you to a hospital." Jounouchi muttered as he dragged his limp lover up onto his back, giving up on the decoding.

"RYUJI! GET THE CAR READY!"

* * *

Kisara perked up as she heard the loud holler ringing down the hallway.

The adults all glanced at one another wonderingly as Otogi excused himself and headed over to the source of the voice.

"Stay here." Shizuka instructed as she pushed away from the table and followed her husband to the hallway, with her four parents in tow.

Kisara watched as the adults all filed out of the dining room.

"Aw... It's boring sitting here. Let's go investigate." She whispered to Seth and Jono sitting beside her, slipping off her chair.

Nodding eagerly, Seth and Jono joined her and the threesome headed over to the hallway.

Kisara's eyes widened as the most horrifying sight greeted her.

Seth and Jono gasped beside her.

Her daddy was being propped up between Uncle Otogi and Seth and Jono's daddy like a limp rag doll, his skin completely flushed from head to toe and reeking of vomit.

What happened? Was daddy sick?

Uncle Otogi and the grandfathers looked so serious, questioning Uncle Jounouchi worriedly and Uncle Jounouchi was answering in big words she could not understand.

"Daddy!" She shrieked as she ran over, only to be grabbed and held back by Aunt Shizuka.

Beside her, Seth and Jono were held back in their grandfathers' grasp.

"Daddy!" Kisara shrieked again.

"Kisara," Aunt Shizuka hugged her tightly. "Your daddy's very sick. Uncle Jounouchi and Uncle Otogi are going to send him to a hospital now."

"Is daddy going to die?" Kisara asked, her eyes wide with terror, watching as her daddy was taken out of the door. "Why is he sick?"

Aunt Shizuka hugged her tighter. "I don't know why he is sick, sweetheart. I don't think he is not going to die. But he needs to go to the hospital. You'll stay here with us, with Seth and Jono for a while until your uncle Mokuba comes to pick you up."

Kisara bit down on her lips. Tears were starting to well up in her eyes. Holding them back fiercely, she buried her head in to Shizuka's chest. Then a warm hand covered hers and in teary eyes, she saw Seth and Jono smiling gently at her.

* * *

Jounouchi was barely out of the house with Kaiba carried by him and Otogi when the familiar chopping sound of a helicopter overwhelmed the neighbourhood.

Looking up, he was more than surprised to see the familiar helicopter, labelled KC landing right in front of his house, its rotors spinning at full blast.

Four men dressed in Kaiba Medical Centre medical attire jumped off the helicopter and ran over, snatching over their boss instantly.

"Seto..." Jounouchi watched as Kaiba was carried off into the helicopter.

One of the paramedics paused to look at him.

Jounouchi took his attention off his lover for a moment just long enough to recognise the man as the General Practitioner Kaiba had brought him to, when he had caught the flu.

"Mr Jounouchi?" The doctor started, unsure.

"Yes," Jounouchi quickly answered.

"Sir, blood pressure is 78/50, left lung has collapsed. He's going into shock. We need to get Mr Kaiba to the medical centre, NOW!" One of the paramedic yelled from the helicopter.

"We need you to fill us on details." The doctor explained as he pulled Jounouchi along on to the helicopter.

"What did he take, anything with alcohol?" The doctor pressured as they watched the paramedics administer more epinephrine and put Kaiba on a breathing machine installed on the medical helicopter.

"No. I don't think so." Jounouchi answered, his heart sinking as he watched his lover struggle for life. "We were having dinner and he suddenly grabbed his suitcase and dashed off to the washroom-"

"Dinner and its ingredients?" The doctor prompted.

"Soup, honey chicken-" Jounouchi paused. He hadn't tried the honey chicken, but the soup definitely didn't contain any alcohol.

It must have been the chicken. But was Kaiba allergy to honey?

Not possible, Kaiba had been eating roasted honey corn with him at the beach house barbeque.

"Do you have a phone here? I need to make a call." Jounouchi muttered, remember as he searched his pockets that he had left his wallet and phone at home when he left with the medical unit.

Someone passed him a phone. It took his two tries to key in his house number correctly. His father answered the phone.

"Katsuya?"

"Dad," Jounouchi found his voice trembling, "Ask mom if there was any alcohol in tonight's dinner."

"Hold on, son."

The brief silent on the other end of the phone was far too long for him as he stared down at Kaiba, who was now barely conscious and paling by the second. And from the doctor's furious and quick demands, as well as from his own knowledge of medicinal, it was obvious that things were not looking good.

His father returned to the line.

"A tea spoon of white wine in the honey chicken, Chardonnay. It's your mother's secret ingredient."

Chardonnay. Two Oceans.

To think that Kaiba had been just discussing that wine with his fathers. Damned alcohol. It always spoilt things. It spoilt his father, and now it was killing Kaiba.

Someone pushed him down onto a seat and took the phone from him.

"There was Chardonnay in the Honey Chicken." He mumbled absently.

"How much did he take of it?"

"..."

"Mr. Jounouchi." The doctor grabbed his shoulder roughly, "Look at me and answer my question now. It can save your friend's life. How much did he take?"

Jounouchi wanted to yell that Kaiba was not a friend, that Kaiba was not just a friend, but all that came out were, "Will he die?"

"Not if you answer my question now." The doctor repeated, "How much did he take? And what did he do afterwards? Did he take a shot of EpiPen?"

Jounouchi nodded slowly, some sense kicking back, "There was one tea spoon of chardonnay in the chicken. I think he took only one bite. Then he dashed to the bathroom and vomited out everything. And he took one shot of EpiPen."

"Good. Now you just sit down and we'll do everything we can."

Jounouchi barely digested what the doctor said. In his mind, he couldn't help but keep replaying the sight of Kaiba talking about the wine with his fathers.

"_I'll recommend Two Oceans, for easy drinking."_

"_Ah, Chardonnay. On the nose there's an abundance of citrus fruit with vanilla oak flavours. And on the palate, the wine is medium bodied with a good balance between the fruit and the oak flavours."_

"_Good with salads and white meat." _

Why hadn't he warned his parents about Kaiba's allergy then?

Helpless. He could only sit and stare.

* * *

Forty minutes after the attack, in the hospital, sitting outside the Emergency Room, Jounouchi did regain some sense and called home again to sooth their worries and anxiety.

Kisara was crying on the phone, asking for her daddy, and there was nothing he could do except try to convince her that her daddy was okay.

Looking through the ICU's glass panel separating him from Kaiba, he seriously suspected his own words to Kisara. Kaiba looked much worse than he had been at his house, hooked up to IVs and a breathing machine. Two teams of doctors were all over the place, fussing over every minor detail. Another team stood-by outside the ICU. Nurses went in and out of the room hurriedly.

Jounouchi so wanted to grab one of them and ask them how Kaiba was. But his veterinarian teachings had taught him it was almost impossible to expect any good answers at such a time. The only good thing he would probably hear from the medical stuff was most likely to be: we're dong our best.

Anaphylaxis.

He wasn't unfamiliar with the term. His pet patients had also came in with it before.

It was the malevolent kingpin of allergic reactions, a misguided attack by the body's immune system against a generally benign foreign substance—usually a food, drug, or insect venom. In this type of relentless allergic reaction, an overzealous immune system seeks to expel a harmless intruder by burning down the house, so overwhelming that it can leave virtually every body system in a state of collapse, and so ferocious that a patient can be dead in minutes despite the best medical treatment.

Kaiba could be dead in minutes.

Trembling involuntarily, he could only bring himself to mumbled Seto's name over and over again.

"JOU!" Mokuba's loud voice boomed across the hallway as the younger man ran over anxiously with Rebecca in tow.

"Mokuba." Jounouchi quickly recollected himself and prepared himself for a bombardment of questions from Mokuba.

"Is Seto okay? What happened? Is he alive?" Mokuba asked nervously, his eyes widened as he watched his brother struggle for life in the hospital bed.

For a moment, Jounouchi thought the younger Kaiba was going to cry, but the young man managed to keep his composure and continued staring through the glass panel, keeping his tears in hold.

"The doctors are doing their best..." Jounouchi mumbled.

"Where's Kisara?" Rebecca asked.

"She's at my place. She's frightened..." Jounouchi answered, his thoughts incoherent.

Rebecca nodded. "I'll go pick her up later."

"Brother's going to be okay." Mokuba said in a clear voice, staring hard through the glass panel. "He still has so many things he wants to do."

Mokuba turned to look at Jounouchi.

"And so many things to live for." The younger man said in a half-whisper.

The door swung open. Jounouchi perked up as a particular doctor stepped out of the ICU with most of the rest of the teams.

"How is he?" Mokuba asked before he had a chance to.

The doctor turned to the two of them, paused a moment in search of the correct words before answering. "It's fortunate he managed to jab himself as soon as he realized the attack was coming. We've managed to re-expand his collapsed lung and brought the attack under control. We were lucky none of his organs really reached the point of total collapse."

The two men swallowed nervously, looking at the doctor expectantly as the doctor paused.

"The next twelve hours is going to be critical. He has a high chance of getting a second attack, like his last two attacks and we don't know what's going to happen during the next attack." The doctor warned slowly.

"Can we go in and see him?" Mokuba asked impatiently.

"Well..." The doctor answered hesitantly. "You can but he hasn't regained consciousness yet."

Mokuba nodded slowly. "Jou, I'm going in. You?"

"Mn?" Jounouchi snapped out of his daze. "I think, I'll call home and update them a bit."

"I'll go pick up Kisara." Rebecca notified.

Mokuba nodded in agreement, watching Rebecca walk off hurriedly before turning his attention back to Jounouchi.

"Don't worry. Brother's going to be okay." The younger Kaiba comforted, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself. "He's tough."

"How did you get here so fast? And the paramedics, how did they get to my house that fast?" Jounouchi asked, his brain still not fully-functional.

"Computer chip on the EpiPen." Mokuba explained patiently. "Once the syringe is used, the chip automatically sends an emergency alert to the Medical Centre's main computer. The computer immediately tracks down where the syringe and my brother are at and the Medical Centre send an emergency rescue chopper over. Then the Medical Centre contacts me."

Comprehending the whole process, Jounouchi nodded and moved off down the hallway.

The night was not meant to turn into a disaster. All he wanted was to clarify things with his parents, introduce Kaiba to them. Yet disaster had to strike, and when it struck, it was quick and ruthless.

Like the bite Kaiba had given him on the tongue earlier the night in his room. The small wound was still throbbing slightly, reminding him every second that Kaiba was still lying in the hospital bed fighting for his life.

Ignoring the nagging notion to call home, he slid into a bench and buried his face into his hands.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**Authors' Comments:**

1) In Scandinavia, Germany and Switzerland, whole office buildings and schools have been equipped with Swiss Balls (Therapy/Gym balls), instead of chairs, for sitting. These Swiss Balls are recommended by doctors, physical therapists and mothers to help hyperactive children. Having to sit up straight and balancing on the Swiss Balls aids these children to maintain a longer concentration time.

2) To Egypts, yeah we have separate accounts on FFN by the name mayu-kkg and miyabi-kkg. This is due to our preference difference towards fanfictions. Thus, we have two accounts with individual author alerts and we review individually most of the time too.

3) To Kaibajoey1. We're aware that there are some errors in our writing even after editing it numerous times before posting. We will most likely do a full edit of the story after it has ended. Thanks for offering, we will happily contact you if we need your help.

4) To Shinigami, yeah. We do know that Ryou's actions are more like Bakura's. Our explanation is that when FoD first started, the last book in the manga wasn't out yet, so we decided to assume that the hikaris and yamis fused together, so Ryou kind of received Bakura's end of character when it came to sex and challenges. HondaxBakura kinda came out as a challenge to us. Just don't think too much into it... We'll most likely be doing BakuraxMalik in our next fic(standby phase).The twins and Kisara definitely have more schemes to come!

5) This chapter took a long time, because University life started for us. Busy adapting. Coming chapters would be quite slow too, but should be updated faster once we buy a lap-top and get use to uni life. But we will not ditch this story! Later chapters are being planned even now.

6) Thanks to TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar aka Firey Kitty, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK014, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, Marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6, K.M.A, ArticaMarsial, Konniwa, Sly Kitsune, silverKitty2525, Macbeth's Mistress, Dragna Vey, sapphire-wolf1, Johnny-Depp-Luv, Slate Grey, Abyssinian Rose, Midnight Ember, fiby, Cat, Faia Ookami, Jenniyah, Vluko1, IBK, lil-Jenny, Hideki LaShae, Tyrone I.G. Shawver, AnimeRuby, ColeyCarissa, lilworros, Lil'wystynyra, Shadowy Fluffball, Shinigami, Kakarots-Frying-Pan, Magus 101, kaibajoey1, Ceth, vapidbreath, Nuin, swtdreams07, Zelda-Jewel, Lady-Silverkiss, The Fae Fanfiction Hunter, Amy Hirosaki, Ami of Destiny, C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity, KandKL, Arfy, Web-of-Knots and many more who has yet to leave a name, for your support!


	17. Chapter 15: High School

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 15**

**

* * *

**Vanilla.

Sweet sugary vanilla.

Mixed with the - the sick distasteful tang of hospitals.

He didn't need to open his eyes to know where he was.

The unmistakable mild but still distinguishably disgusting smell of antiseptics and drugs was enough to overwhelm him.

Not bothering to open his eyes, Kaiba took in a deep breathe of the air, loving the sweet vanilla scent but hating the medicinal smell. An uncomfortable pressure on his chest was just beginning to bother him. It wasn't suffocating, but most definitely uncomfortable, though invitingly warm.

He opened his eyes, lifting his head up slightly in the action, to be greeted by a tender sight - a certain blonde puppy was lying on his chest, snoring lightly, but looking completely blissful and deep in sleep.

Alright, that was an overstatement. But apart from the shadowy rings beneath his puppy's eyes, and the saliva drooling over his blue hospital drapes, it was a perfect sight to be greeted by every morning.

A smile threatened to spill his lips as Jounouchi stirred, and mumbled a few incoherent words that Kaiba could only derive as medical terms of a veterinarian.

Trust the puppy to be a workaholic, Kaiba mused.

The tables seemed to have changed since they were high school kids. Back then, he was the absolute workamaniac while Jounouchi ribbed him about it every other day in school. But even back then, Kaiba Corporation was not a subject of his dreams.

Being the Duelist King had been.

And now thinking back, it was a silly but nonetheless outstanding notion.

Chuckling softly to himself, making sure not wake up his lover in the process, Kaiba pondered over his teenage years. Those high school years had been spent on running Kaiba Corp and fighting to be the top duellist. There were times when the Big Five, Kaiba Corporation and the responsibilities of taking care of Mokuba did drain him of all. Yet, it was too a golden time when Kaiba felt he could actually breathe freely.

The reckless teenager years, the wild thrill of beating Yugi, the frustration at getting beat by Yugi every now and then, the denial of Anzu's boring yet meaningful friendship rants, and getting challenged by the never-learning mutt here and there. That was all that made life more worthwhile than the rest.

Things had changed.

Evidently and significantly.

They had all grown up, matured, established themselves, and formed families.

The mutt of his golden days was now his puppy-

Who was currently drooling peacefully all over his blue hospital drapes.

His little high school mutt had grown up into a sexy veterinarian with two beautiful boys.

_Sexy..._

The kissable red lips.

The tanned skin smooth and delicious to the touch.

The lean, strong body underneath the soft cotton shirt.

The simple word to depict his little puppy was enough to send his heart pounding, so loud it seemed the puppy would wake up upon hearing it.

Then the puppy stirred in his sleep. Kaiba froze. Was he waking up?

Fortunately, the sleeping puppy seemed to be too deep in his slumber to notice anything. Kaiba relaxed and allowed his eyes to linger on his puppy's face, when the smooth forehead suddenly furrowed as the sleeping man mumbled the familiar names of his twins.

As beautiful as the boys were, like their father, they were obviously a pair of boisterous, unstoppable fits of trouble, along with their natural disabilities. Bringing them up was absolutely demanding, and even more for a single parent like his puppy.

And that was why he had asked him to move in with him.

They could stay together; and take care of the kids together. The children didn't seem to mind them together, but rather, seemed to be quite supportive of the idea. And by now, Kaiba had no doubt that he and his puppy's coming together was more than fate or miracle. There wasn't concrete evidence but somehow, the three scheming Tasmanian Devils somehow must have something to do with it.

But back to the subject on Jounouchi and the twins. Bringing up the twins alone was tough. There was double the work and double the financial responsibilities. Not that Jounouchi couldn't shoulder all of those now, the way Kaiba had observed and calculated, as a veterinarian, Jounouchi could well support his twins and himself, with a little extra for his parents and sister, and a little left for his own spending. It was a comfortable financial situation, comfortable though not luxurious.

But Kaiba wanted the best for his loved ones.

He had contemplated offering Jounouchi a position in Kaiba Corporation with a good salary. That would mean less working hours for Jounouchi, a higher pay and more time they could spend together since they could work together.

Three birds with one stone.

Ingenious but ineffectual.

The idea was inevitably chucked out of the way after some serious thinking.

A pet store in Kaiba Land seem some sort redundant and out of the way. Kaiba Corporation didn't need fluffy little animals running all about the place. Moreover, as headstrong and sentimental as Jounouchi was, he would probably refuse to close down Puppy Love. Even if he could offer an easy part-time desk job to Jounouchi, his hyperactive puppy would most likely expire from economy class syndrome after sitting at an office table for just one day.

Whatever the case, the issue of marriage, Jounouchi's responsibilities and financial wellbeing were not his prime concern of the moment. There was no particular biological clock to worry. Marriage was but a legal statement that Jounouchi officially belonged to him. As much as he wanted that legal statement, it had to wait.

The subject of his annoyance, which bothered him to the point of murder, was still-

Sex.

It may be selfishness or the simple notion of wanting to claim and label the puppy totally his.

But it was also the next big, imperative step in their relationship.

Was it just the day after they had been caught kissing passionately outside Jounouchi's house? Kaiba wasn't sure, but he recalled that on a particular night, Rebecca had been busy reading Women magazines on their couch while Mokuba was fervently trying to invite her to bed.

The blonde American could very well had minded her own business and shut up when she had suddenly piped up haughtily.

"Do you know that Scorpio and Aquarius is the worst match of all in zodiac pairings?"

Kaiba had been drawn to reply a disgruntled 'mph' as he sat on another couch, trying and failing to concentrate on the stock market on the news.

"Why, Becky?" Mokuba had asked mischievously, stealing a hinting glance at Kaiba while joining his girlfriend on the couch.

"Stubbornness." Rebecca had grinned up from the magazine and in returned received a frown from Kaiba, "They love to argue. But the Scorpio will always have the upper hand in any argument because he has a very long memory while an Aquarius cannot remember where he parked the car. An Aquarius' absentmindedness will drive the Scorpio crazy. A Scorpio always knows where things are. Scorpios are possessive and Aquarius cannot be possessed! Their relationship would be unpredictable at the least if not totally exhausting."

"That sounds like a few people whom we know." Mokuba's lips were twitching as he stole another glance at Kaiba.

"The highly emotional Scorpio will want to reserve Aquarius as his exclusive property and when this doesn't set well with Aquarius the anger and the jealous scenes will start." Rebecca had continued, grinning the entire time as if it were the greatest joke since the creation of Earth, "Since Aquarius has a strong dislike of such things and will not fight with him, Aquarius is apt to think Scorpio is slightly mad in his mentality and begin to wonder just why they even began their relationship in the first place."

By then, Kaiba was scowling.

"Finally, the SEX drive of Scorpio," Rebecca grinned, putting a heavy emphasis on a particular word and staring at Kaiba's lower body wickedly, "Is so much stronger than that of Aquarius and the demands are many. If these demands are not met, as well they won't be, there will be many times the Scorpio will feel unloved and neglected. Aquarius, on the other hand, is so busy thinking about other people and their problems that he may completely miss the trouble brewing at home. This is a relationship best kept away from; absolutely NOT a match made in Heaven."

That was it. Kaiba banished Women's magazines from his house and his sight right there and then while Mokuba whisked his whining girlfriend away into the safety of his room. It was a good move by Mokuba, or Rebecca Hopkins's name would be the highlight of the next day's papers, in the obituary section, had Kaiba had a few more minutes to conjure up a prefect murder plan.

The point was, the zodiac signs were so accurate he felt like throwing up right there. So what if he was prone to jealousy and had a high sex drive?

Sex...

Kaiba's forehead furrowed.

There seemed to be something important that he had forgotten. Something before the attack... Something important...

Seto Kaiba had had his own shares of blanking out experiences, a result of a tightly packed schedule and a never-resting brain. And to counter the blank-outs, he had learnt to relax, mentally skim through people, locations and times of the days to recall forgotten issues.

He was certain it didn't have much to do with Kisara, Jono and Seth. And it was improbable to have anything to do with Kaiba Corporation or Mokuba.

So it was most likely connected to Jounouchi, or Jounouchi's parents...

Something recent.

Yesterday's dinner at Jounouchi's house.

Lie detector.

Jounouchi's bedroom...

Kaiba's eyes widened as his mind hit the right chord.

Wallet! In his wallet was the-

"YOU DON'T FEED DOGS HAMSTER FOOD!"

A pair of angry fists pounded Kaiba on his chest, causing him to wince in pain and grab the pair of flailing hands.

"Puppy, wake up." Kaiba snorted, unsure whether to be amused or annoyed.

Then it dawned on him he had completely lost what he had recalled, again.

Great, he'd probably never remember it again...

Kaiba signed in frustration. But that was nothing he could do now. Besides, his puppy was awakening.

Jounouchi's sleepy eyes blinked open.

"Seto, you're awake!"

"Yes, for the last half an hour." Kaiba answered grudgingly and massaged where the puppy had punched him. Mental note - always wake up before puppy to avoid traumatic wake up calls, and take more brain revitalising vitamins. "What about dogs eating hamster food? I don't recall feeding you nuts."

"Oh, that. My client fed his dog hamster food and the dog died of undernourishment. Forget it, that's not important." Jounouchi paused and seemed to snap out of daze. "Are you okay?"

"Completely, pup." Kaiba shrugged as he sat up. Past experience and readings on his health condition had made him an expert in anaphylaxis. "I can be out of the hospital in one hour."

Jounouchi didn't seem convinced, or at least, he was still in disbelief. "Are you sure? The doctors said you were in critical conditions last night..."

Kaiba snorted impatiently. "To those doctors, Mr Kaiba is forever in critical condition as long as he is lying in the Medical Centre."

As if on cue, a particular General Practitioner entered the room and stared amusedly at him and his puppy. Apparently, the doctor had figured out their relationship over the night and from their last visit.

Kaiba couldn't care less about the doctor knowing. As long as the doctor did his job and watched his words, the pay check was always available.

"Good morning, Mr Kaiba. How are you feeling now?" The middle-aged man greeted as Jounouchi moved aside to allow the doctor space. Kaiba was almost reluctant to have his puppy's warmth gone from beside him.

"Hungry, but otherwise better than ever." Kaiba answered reportedly.

"Good." The doctor replied quietly, finishing a quick inspection. "Then I will like you to stay for another forty-eight hours for observations."

Kaiba frowned. "That's not necessary. There's no medical support for observations six hours after the attack."

"Well, we want you to be in tip-top condition-"

"No. I'm leaving as soon as Mokuba comes with my clothes and stuff." Kaiba interrupted rudely. There was no point in wasting an entire day sitting in the hospital and staring at the four walls. And chances were that he would demand a computer to work before the end of morning. And in that case, he might as well as return to Kaiba Corporation and work in a more comfortable and productive environment.

"Mr Kaiba, it is best for you to rest more..." The doctor argued feebly.

For once, Kaiba wished he hadn't employed such overly conscientious employees. Mastering his most potent glare, he snapped back impatiently, "I know my body and the treatment of Anaphylaxis best. I can-"

"Listen to the doctor. Seto." Jounouchi cut in.

Surprised, Kaiba turned to stare up at his puppy.

The doctor responded before Kaiba could.

"Of course, I heard Mr Jounouchi here is a doctor himself. I think Mr Kaiba should heed his advice."

Kaiba frowned. "He's a veterinarian! Am I a dog?"

"Seto, just stay for observation, alright?" Jounouchi piped in quietly, exchanging looks wit the doctor and then motioning for the doctor to leave the room.

As the door clicked close behind the General Practitioner, Kaiba frowned at a quiet Jounouchi, "Doctor Jounouchi, you know bloody well that I can be out of the hospital by now, don't you?"

"Look, my patients who suffer from anaphylaxis stay for observations too." Jounouchi countered quickly.

"Your patients are four-legged creatures with brains the size of a pea! I'm perfectly fine now. And I'm leaving when Mokuba comes."

Ignoring his insulting comments on his patients, Jounouchi insisted. "You're not!"

"I am, and you can't stop me."

"Leave and I'll..."

"You'll what, pup?" Kaiba smirked. "You can't stop me."

"Oh yeah, Kaiba? You go work, I'll go look for Mai, and we'll probably chat until dinner, and I'll bring her home, stay for coffee and-"

Mai?

"_The highly emotional Scorpio will want to reserve Aquarius as his exclusive property and when this doesn't set well with Aquarius the anger and the jealous scenes will start..."_

Kaiba narrowed his eyes.

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Yes." Jounouchi answered stubbornly.

He hated to admit it, but Mai was a potential menace, even if she had surrendered in the Jounouchi wars.

Keeping his jealousy in check, he contemplated over his choices. Jounouchi might be saying it just to make him stay, but there were risks. Jounouchi had a known history of unpredictability.

"Fine, mutt. You win. I'll stay, at least till tonight." Kaiba growled under his breath. "But swear you won't ever go look for Mai, alone."

"You're jealous." Jounouchi grinned.

Kaiba attempted to argue but was interrupted when an orderly knocked and entered with a tray of breakfast.

And his puppy's growling stomach happily made its presence known at the prefect timing.

"Sorry. I haven't eaten anything since last night's dinner." Jounouchi explained sheepishly, eyeing the food hungrily.

"Dig in." Kaiba offered, scrutinizing the food. As Kaiba Medical Centre's hospital food, they didn't look too bad.

"Well, it's your breakfast, and you didn't eat much last night too. I'll go to the cafeteria to eat something later."

"We can share." Kaiba suggested, dragging the puppy over onto his bed. He loved how Jounouchi was always so warm and smelt of sweet tasty vanilla. It always made him want to run his tongue over his puppy's lips.

"There's not enough to go around. YOU eat a lot." Jounouchi grumbled.

Kaiba frowned, "Fine. Then let's get out of here and eat somewhere else."

That shut Jounouchi up. His puppy obligingly took a folk and poked at the scrambled eggs.

"Feed me." Kaiba ordered, watching in amusement as Jounouchi's folk hover momentarily above the sausages in surprise. "Since I'm too sick to leave the hospital, I think I'm too sick to eat by myself."

"You know, Seto, you are a completely spoilt brat." Jounouchi remarked, but helpfully served the eggs.

"Mph, a kettle calling a pot black." Kaiba smirked, "I can't help but recall another brat who kicked me twice, refused to move in with me, turned down my marriage proposal and tried to kill me with alcohol."

"Honestly, Seto. If this was ten years ago, and I knew you had an alcohol allergy, I'll be drowning you in beer by now." Jounouchi paused, "I'm sorry. I should have informed my parents that you were allergic to alcohol..."

If Jounouchi was really upset, he did a good job of not showing it, instead, a half grin was on his face. That was what Kaiba liked about Jounouchi. His puppy always made it a point to liven up the mood, even if he was honestly sad or lost. But yet, the humanitarian sensitivity in his puppy was also there. Always caring, sensitive and thoughtful towards friends. And that was something Kaiba really admired and loved about Jounouchi.

"Katsuya, it's not your fault, nor your parents'." Kaiba convinced, "I was careless."

"Well, my mom asked you to come for dinner again next week, with Mokuba and Rebecca." Jounouchi added, feeding Kaiba with another forkful of scrambled eggs. "I think, over the night, she finally understood, or at least kind of accepted our relationship."

"Does that mean her detestation towards me is gone?" Kaiba answered testily. "Or was it out of guilt of poisoning me or simply sympathy?"

"SETO!" Jounouchi scowled, smacking him on the back of the head.

Kaiba merely grinned back.

* * *

Kisara swung open the door and crashed flew into the hospital room.

"DADDY!"

The seven year old bundle of energy free-fall promptly on her father's lap as Jono and Seth poked their heads into the ward, their eyes wide and giddy with excitement.

"DADDY! You're here!" The twins shouted in unison and tornadoed into the room.

"Daddy, I though you would die last night!" Kisara threw her arms around her daddy's neck and hugged him tightly. She swore she would never let go of him again, ever.

"Your daddy is too tough to die." Jono and Seth's daddy remarked.

Kisara beamed and settled into her daddy's lap. "Daddy, when can you come home?"

"Actually I can leave the hospital today-"

"But," Seth and Jono's daddy interrupted quickly, "He's staying till tomorrow for observation."

The begrudging little look her daddy gave Jono and Seth's daddy was amusing as Kisara grinned. Well at least, her daddy looked completely okay now.

And it was good that her daddy would be staying one more day. It wasn't the first time her daddy got sick like this. He had become sick one other time back in America, and had demanded and got out of hospital the following day. And that wasn't good, because she would fret and worry about her daddy. If daddy was in hospital, then the doctors could look after him and make sure nothing went wrong.

"Well." Jono and Seth's daddy hopped off the bed and headed for the door, "I'm leaving to get some other food. Really, hospital provisions are worst than dog food. I'll get something edible for you, Seto."

"Mn."

As Seth and Jono took the opportunity to scramble off to join their daddy, Kisara took the chance to hog her daddy.

"I missed you, daddy."

"I know, Kisara. I missed you too. Did Mokuba bring you and the twins here?"

"Yup." Kisara nodded as she squirmed around her daddy's lap to find her usual comfortable position, "Uncle Mokuba let me stay at Seth and Jono's house last night. Aunt Shizuka said it was better for me to stay with them so that he could come back to the hospital. Aunt Shizuka and I talked about a looooooooot of things last night. Daddy, it 's so cool that Seth and Jono are going to have a baby cousin soon!"

"Well, you've got a lot of siblings too, all over the world. We visit them every Christmas holidays." Her daddy pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't see them often. Besides it's a BABY cousin." Kisara argued.

"So, you want a baby sister or brother too?"

Kisara shrugged, grinning, "I just want daddy to be better, for now."

Her daddy smiled and ran his fingers down her hair, bizarrely tangled for today because her uncle Mokuba had failed to brush it out nicely. She had tried tying it up herself on the way here. Seth and Jono tried to help too, but they ended up pulling a lot of her hair off and making a lot of knots.

"What's with your hair today?" Her daddy asked, frowning at the mess.

Kisara rolled her eyes as her daddy retrieved a comb ran it through her pale long hair, "Uncle Mokuba didn't have time to tie them up for me, and Aunt Shizuka was still asleep when we left."

"You were well-behaved last night?"

"Yup." Kisara nodded. Her hair was quickly tied into two neat braids. "And Uncle Mokuba is outside on the phone; he said he's coming up later."

The door clicked open and her sleepy uncle entered the ward with a duffle bag in hand and a gift basket of fruits.

"Morning brother. Had a good sleep?" Her Uncle asked, dumping the bag of clothes into the closet and passing the fruit basket to Kisara.

"You look exhausted." Her daddy commented before answering, "Considering I got some twelve hours of sleep, yes."

"I got you two days medical leave." Uncle Mokuba stated blandly, grouchy from the worrying last night and the lack of sleep,

Her daddy frowned. "You cancel that, now."

"Nope."

"I'm discharging myself today."

"Daddy." Kisara piped finally. It was fun watching how her daddy and her currently peevish uncle would quarrel half-heartedly every now and then. "You should stay for one more day."

"Why do you say that, Kisara?" Her daddy turned his attention to her.

"Well, Seth and Jono's daddy said you are staying till tomorrow, and he's a doctor. Besides you can rest!" Kisara paused, an ingenious idea popping into her head. "And I can be your nurse!"

"A nurse?" Her daddy raised a brow. "I thought just the other day you wanted to be veterinarian? And Jono and Seth's daddy is a veterinarian, a doctor for animals. I'm not an animal."

Kisara frowned, deep in thought before coming to a conclusion. "It's all the same, they all cure – things. I can be a nurse, doctor and an animal doctor at the same time."

Her daddy and uncle chuckled.

Putting her hands to her hips, she demanded. "What's so funny?"

Her daddy and uncle only laughed harder.

At that, Kisara threw herself onto her daddy and started tickling her daddy.

"Stop, Kisara," Her daddy grabbed her laughingly and hugged her tightly to stop her from tickling. "By the way, why are you wearing a school uniform?"

"You forgot!" Kisara wailed, accusing rightfully before lapsing into a meticulous explanation. "Seth, Jono and I got into the school play, remember? Then, the performance is next, next week. We're having a rehearsal today!"

"Oops. Must have slipped my mind." Her daddy said half-apologetically, patting her head.

"As slippery as it is!" Kisara said, pouting. "And you haven't bought my dress yet. Miss Yamato recommends that we get it from Harpy Boutique. That happens to be Aunt Mai's shop!"

At the mention of Aunt Mai, her daddy's face seemed to dull slightly.

"Well, we'll go get it Monday after school."

"Okay."

The door swung opened again, this time, Seth, Jono and their daddy popped their head in.

"We're gonna be late." Jono grumbled.

Seth nodded.

Kisara sighed. She only got to spend so much time with her daddy. But it was better than nothing. And daddy would be home tomorrow. Besides, maybe she could stay over at Seth and Jono's house again tonight...

"Bye daddy. I'll come see you after school. Miss Yamato said we might end late today." Kisara said, hugging her daddy tightly.

Then she pulled back and instructed matter-of-factly.

"Daddy, you must listen to what the doctors and Uncle Mokuba say. Be good and stay in hospital and eat your medicines like a good boy."

Her daddy broke into a large smile, giving her light kiss on the cheek, before turning to her uncle.

"Take the morning off, Mokie. You are worn out. Go get some sleep."

Uncle Mokuba nodded knowingly.

"Oh right!" Kisara exclaimed as she suddenly recalled one of her purposes.

All eyes were on her as she reached into her small school bag and pulled a stuffed Blue Eyes White Dragon out of it.

"Here, daddy." Kisara announced shyly, putting the doll gently into her daddy's hand. "I'm lending him to you until you get home. So that you'll have someone to accompany you when I'm not around."

With that, she spun away and scampered out of the room.

* * *

"Cute." Jounouchi remarked after everyone had left, leaving the two of them alone in the room again.

"Mn." Kaiba answered, starring at the plushie.

Jounouchi kept quiet, allowing his lover to enjoy the little love and care from his daughter.

"Bought any nice food?" Kaiba finally asked after a while, tucking the Blue Eyes plushie beside his pillow.

"Breakfast value meal from the Burger World opposite." Jounouchi answered, propping down onto a chair beside Kaiba's bed. He fished a burger out and tossed it at Kaiba. "This is what I call a breakfast."

Pointing to the breakfast tray on the table, he continued "And that, is totally inedible, something that I would relate to donkey feed."

"It's Kaiba Corp Medical Centre's breakfast."

"It's hospital food."

"And I'd thought you'll eat anything."

"As a matter of fact, I'm very picky about food." Jounouchi admitted. Throwing a glance at the digital clock beside Kaiba's bed, he sighed, "And I have to leave in a few minutes."

Kaiba looked up, apparently surprised. "Where to?"

"Home, change, then to work. My puppies and kittens are starving." Jounouchi yawned, then caught Kaiba's wary look, "And yeah, don't worry, I'm not going to look for Mai."

Kaiba's face relaxed, "Take the day off. You didn't have much sleep last night."

That was true. He didn't get to sleep till after midnight. And it had taken him bloody ages to fall asleep. But nah, he didn't want to make it a habit of taking leave. He had been taking a lot of leaves lately - Shizuka's wedding, the school zoo trip, the cruise holiday and the previous beach spree. Come to think of it, he had been taking a lot of leaves and breaks since Kaiba returned to Domino City.

"You have any patients coming in today?" Kaiba prompted.

"Actually, no." Jounouchi admitted. "Business has been slow this few weeks. It's always like this in this season."

"Good, stay with me."

"Why? Lonely?" Jounouchi teased, finishing his burger and rolling the wrapper into a ball, "You got that cute little Blue Eyes there to accompany you."

"I want the real Red Eyes." Kaiba teased back, and Jounouchi found himself pulled back into Kaiba's lap.

"Seto. I've got to go." Jounouchi argued as Kaiba started nibbling into his neck.

"Then take me along." Kaiba's soft voice was muffled as the taller man nuzzled Jounouchi on the neck.

Jounouchi rolled his eye and tried to pull away. It was a feeble attempt. He didn't want to leave at all, but rationality said otherwise. He had spent the night doing a lot of serious thinking and evaluation of their relationship. The result was a lot of uncertainty and questions. The way he saw it, their relationship was going nowhere...

"Take me along, or stay." Kaiba's moving lips on his neck ran shivers down Jounouchi's spine. Jounouchi swallowed hard. Kaiba had no idea what was on his mind...

"Seto, I -" Jounouchi started, but his mouth was quickly claimed by an invasive tongue and silenced.

Closing his eyes, he decided to leave the issue to a later period.

Pulling away, he admonished, "You haven't brushed your teeth."

"I thought you are a veterinarian, not a dentist. And it's the same to you. Now, will you stay or not?"

Jounouchi sighed. A bratty Seto Kaiba was as bad as ten hyper pairs of twins. "I'd like to but –"

"Done. You're staying." Kaiba concluded with a quick peck on Jounouchi's lips.

Jounouchi blinked as his mind registered the information.

"I have to go w–" Jounouchi argued as Kaiba pushed him away and hopped off the bed to the closet.

"Yes, you are going to make a call, tell Shizuka that you're leaving the shop to her and that the vet is closed for today." Kaiba instructed, sorting through the clothes and accessories Mokuba had brought, "I'm taking a bath now. Go get me some cinnamon shower cream. This bar of soap stinks. It's probably older than us."

Jounouchi watched the pink soap bar fly into the food tray to join the remnants of Kaiba Corp Medical Centre's breakfast.

He folded his arms across his chest and stared at Kaiba, "And what are you going to do if I refuse to stay?"

Kaiba paused to return the stare, before a smirk crept up his lips, "Then I'll get the hell out of here and go back to work, regardless of whether or not you go look for Mai. Besides I'm certain enough you won't go running back to her."

Jounouchi remained expressionless. Kaiba clearly had no idea what had what thoughts had been going through his mind for the entire night.

"Fine. Go bath, I'll go make the call and get your shower cream." He finally said, squeezing a smile onto his face.

He swore he could see Kaiba grinning wickedly before he stepped out of the room with his cell phone and wallet. Kaiba hadn't sensed his distress. That meant he did a good job of not showing it too.

And with Kaiba awake and kicking, and the sun out and shining, his distress did reduce. But it didn't help in curbing his extreme judgment of their relationship.

He had to settle it sooner or later...

But for now, the current task was to call Shizuka and inform her of his day off. His sister would be understanding.

Jounouchi smiled as he tightened his grasp around his cell phone. Seth and Jono had been clever to bring his cell phone and wallet. Heck, he hated the cell phone actually, but in this modern era, no one could go anywhere without a cell phone dangling at their belts or in their bags.

With a slight bounce in his steps, Jounouchi made his way to the entrance of the medical centre, where it was safe to use cell phones. Yesterday night had been one of the worst moments of his life – lost, unsure and worried, but now, his world was in a perfect harmony. Almost. But with the sun shinning and morning breeze blowing, he could forget his negative thoughts and worries for the moment.

Drawing in a deep breath of Domino City's morning breeze and enjoying the tender warmth of the sunlight, he proceeded to make the call to Shizuka.

* * *

"Katsuya?" Kaiba called out from the bathroom.

He was naked and dripping wet, having showered, shampooed and conditioned his hair. Now he wanted his cinnamon-favoured shower cream.

His ears pricked up as the ward's door swung open.

"Katsuya?" He called out again, not bothering to turn down the water.

"Yeah, yeah. Coming. I ran a couple of streets trying to find your cinnamon shower cream." Jounouchi grumbled.

"Whatever, pass me my shower cream." Kaiba ordered, running his hand fingers through his hair, feeling the cold refreshing water.

Silence. No door swung open and no hand stretched in to pass him the shower cream.

"Katsuya?"

"Yeah. Coming in." Jounouchi's hesitant voice finally came from behind the door.

Kaiba grinned. It just occurred to him...

The door swung open gently and a tanned arm, holding a large bottle of shower cream, stretched in uncertainly.

The bathtub where he was standing in, showering, was fortunately close enough to the door for Kaiba to grab the arm and pull its shocked owner into the bathroom.

"Seto!" Jounouchi protested as Kaiba pulled the startled puppy into the bathtub – corrections, pulled a startled Jounouchi towards the bathtub, who tripped over the side and crashed into the tub, under the showerhead, below him.

"KaTsuYa" Kaiba sang, ignoring Jounouchi's feeble attempts to stand up and get out.

The cold water was obviously a shock to the puppy, shivering involuntarily. At the same time, his puppy was turning six shades of red watching him dripping wet and naked.

"Seto! What the hell-" Jounouchi yelled, finally getting up and struggling to get out of Kaiba's firm grip on his waist. It was a lousy attempt which only allowed Kaiba to hold him tighter.

"Shhh." Kaiba ordered, starring at Jounouchi. "Don't move."

Maybe it was the water, or maybe his voice was soft and gentle enough, Jounouchi did as told and stared back into his eyes.

Water.

Water was all over them. Jounouchi was half-wet, his hair matted and sticking to his forehead messily, yet it made him even more enticing than usual. His half-wet clothes sticking to his taut body made him look sexier than usual.

And it was making Kaiba need an extreme cold shower, despite the fact he was in one now.

Jounouchi blinked. The puppy brown eyes travelled down.

"Seto, you're getting..." Jounouchi mumbled in bewilderment ad proceeded to squirm out of the tight hold.

"Then stop moving." Kaiba teased. "Your squirming only makes it worse."

Jounouchi stopped moving instantly.

Good puppy. Kaiba smiled and leaned over to give his wet lover a small peck on the forehead.

"Go." He finally said and released his puppy.

Jounouchi was out of the bathroom in a jiffy.

* * *

Damn Kaiba. Jounouchi cursed inwardly as he dried the last of his hair and dumped the hospital towel on to a couch in the room. His mind couldn't stop replaying the scene where he was pulled abruptly into the bathroom and was greeted with a full view of Kaiba's lean, naked body.

And back to damn Kaiba again.

It wasn't the best sight to be greeted with at the start of a day. But well, Kaiba did have a good body... which was much better than how he had visualized sometimes at night.

Damn Kaiba and those perverted thoughts...

Stubbornly pushing the mental video out of his mind, Jounouchi turned to the full-size mirror in the room.

Kaiba's clothes were, as usual, slightly over-sized for him, he noted. The black slacks were pretty fitting, except a bit too long at the bottom, but he couldn't care less about that. It was the sleeveless translucent vest he was wearing that bothered him. It was the same one that Kaiba had worn the day that met on the cruise. But while it looked tight and fitting on Kaiba–

Stop those perverted thoughts!

Right. The sleeveless translucent vest looked like an overflowing life-jacket on him.

Okay, he was exaggerating. But the item looked strange on him. But it was the smallest shirt he could find in Kaiba's bag. It was odd how Kaiba's clothes appeared to be so big on him when it seemed they were almost of the same height and frame. Kaiba was just a bit taller and ...

Damn those images...

"Wearing my clothes, puppy?"

Shit. He didn't even hear Kaiba come out of the bathroom.

"Mnnn." Jounouchi grunted, just before a shirt was flung onto his head. "Mn?"

"Wear that over the vest." Kaiba instructed.

Not given any other choices, he pulled the shirt on as a coat. The white shirt did well to camouflage the unfitting vest.

Finally, he stole a glance at his lover. Kaiba was fortunately dressed, clad in similar slacks and a dark shirt, with the top two buttons undone, sitting on the bed and tying up the laces of his leather shoes.

Jounouchi frowned. "Seto, what're you doing?"

"Wearing my shoes. Never seen shoes before, puppy?"

"No, but what for?" Jounouchi asked dumbly.

"Puppy, we're going out."

"But you're supposed to -"

"I promised I won't go work, but that doesn't mean I can't go out and play."

Jounouchi choked, "Play?"

"Yes, now grab your wallet and get going." Kaiba ordered, finishing up the shoelaces, "And leave your cell phone here. I don't want interruptions."

Jounouchi found himself hauled out the ward, cell phone-less and control-less, along the corridor, down the lift, and outside Kaiba Corp Medical Centre. It was almost miraculous how no nurses or doctors intercepted them on the way out.

"So, em, where are we going?" Jounouchi raised a brow as Kaiba started down the street. The street was erupting to life as minutes passed. Late students ran to school while working personnel hurried to their jobs. Otherwise, at the early time of nine, most people were still sleeping away their Saturday morning.

"Domino City Hall. We're going shopping for clothes so that no one spots me." Kaiba fingered the trademark KC on his collar for further explanation.

Oh well. Jounouchi nodded. On their previous dates, they had also visited places where onlookers were scarce, or at least, where the lights were dim, just so that Seto Kaiba was not spotted dating. With him. With a man.

He could live with that - not being publicly acknowledged as Seto's Kaiba boyfriend. The fundamental reason was that they didn't want the press to affect their kids. The next reason was that he didn't want to bring down Kaiba Corp's reputation, though Kaiba didn't seem to mind that. Alright, maybe it was his own reputation he didn't want to destroy. He hated to admit it - to admit that he was gay - and admit that he was embarrassed to admit that he was gay-

"Stop dreaming." Kaiba's demanding voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Jounouchi nodded, concentrating on their surroundings. Kaiba had a fast walking pace which Jounouchi was fortunately able to keep up with. For a moment, Jounouchi briefly wondered how Mokuba had managed to keep up with his brother when he was younger, for example back in Battle City, when the kid had to lug Kaiba's renowned metal briefcase all over the city while trying to catch up. But the thought was quickly thrown out of his mind as the grand building of Domino City Hall towered fiercely in front of them.

"You come here frequently?" Jounouchi asked as they entered the complex. It was scarcely nine o'clock in the morning with few customers walking about in the building. Nevertheless, most of the shops were already opened as Domino City Hall was renowned as the 24 hours shopping precinct.

"No. I've never been here." Kaiba admitted, walking briskly across the forum.

Jounouchi grinned. "Should have guessed. I bet all of Mokuba and Kisara and your clothes are KC brands."

"Almost." Kaiba answered nonchalantly. "And so will yours be, soon."

Jounouchi's jaw dropped open as the horrible feeling of guilt hit him hard. The things on his mind...They needed to talk soon.

"Where are the shops for clothes?" Kaiba asked, seemingly amused at his speechless look.

Jounouchi pulled himself together and managed quickly, "Top floor. There's a large department store there..."

They took the escalators up to the top floor and found the men clothes section easily.

"Coarse material." Kaiba remarked after examining several rows of casual wear.

Jounouchi frowned at the comment, "Those are what I always wear."

"All the more reason for you to wear KC branded clothes."

"No. Way." Jounouchi swore, "I'll be treated like an idiotic dog."

"Oh, and what's that that dog tag I see hanging around your neck? What difference would it make?" Kaiba teased

Jounouchi shut his mouth. Further argument would probably land him in a dog suit.

He turned his attention to the row of jeans beside him and tried to wrench the gloomy thoughts out his mind. Maybe if he didn't think too much about them, he'd feel better and forget about them in time. Okay. Concentrate on jeans. Smooth, light material. Pretty cut and intriguing zipper. Price was good too, good for his health and for his wallet, though money bags will probably offer to buy a pair of more expensive pair for him-

Where was money bags - ah, Seto?

Jounouchi glanced around the large store, looking for the taller man, who was no where to be seen and found.

Cashier? Nope. Not there.

Clothes?

Jounouchi headed over to the suits and formal wear section. It was a section he was unfamiliar with, but the familiar tall brown mob of hair was still no where to be seen.

Changing rooms? Trust Kaiba to find something so fast, to think he was the one complaining about the coarse materials earlier... Then again, he might not be there. It was just his guess.

It took a while for him to find the different changing rooms, considering there were quite a few different booths situated all over the department store.

Finally, at a cornered booth, there Kaiba was, waving away a pair of grinning students who were in their exercise attires.

Confused, Jounouchi strolled over and watched the two students brush past him.

"Wear this." Kaiba pressed a familiar dark blue cotton material to him abruptly before pulling him into one of the cubicles. The small room was barely the size of his house bathroom but Kaiba did not seem to care about the tight space and was beside him stripping off swiftly.

"This is –" Jounouchi fumbled with the clothes.

"School uniform." Kaiba piped, pulling up the uniform pants skilfully. "Wear it."

"Now?"

"No. Maybe when you grow out of it. Of course now. Do you need me to help you with it?" Kaiba retorted sarcastically.

"Hardly." Jounouchi replied quietly and pull on the uniform quickly, wary that Kaiba was staring at him in a more than an amused manner. And that particular look was reminding him of the morning's bath...

"Stop staring and snap out of it." He finally said, utterly discomfited as the image of a very wet and naked Kaiba harassed his mind again.

Kaiba merely shrugged but turned away obligingly, leaving him flushed from neck to ear. Forcing the perverted thoughts out his mind, he concentrated on wearing the uniform.

The uniform was surprisingly fitting, though a bit tight at some place, all the right places, actually. And a glance at Kaiba's uniform told the same. And then it occurred to him.

"Kaiba, you can't wear a uniform like that." Jounouchi stifled a grin.

"Like how?" Kaiba frowned, staring into the mirror at both their reflections.

"Your buttons, you button them all the way up." Jounouchi couldn't stop himself from laughing, "You look like a complete dork. Even Yugi doesn't wear like that."

"But that's how I wore my school uniform back in high school." Kaiba argued.

"And I always wanted to tell you that you looked like a nerd." Jounouchi stifled his laughter and reached over to unbutton the top two silver buttons.

"Nerd?" Kaiba retorted instantly. "Look who's talking? The monkey in clothes! Your style is akin to primates."

"Primates!" Jounouchi glared up. "Who are you to call me a monkey? You-"

"What, mutt?" Kaiba sneered, fastening the buttons again.

"Walking ass of a money bag!" Jounouchi pushed Kaiba's hands away uncouthly and unfastened the two buttoned again. Didn't Kaiba understand that only dorks wore their uniform in that perfectly nerdy manner?!

"Loser wannabe." Kaiba snapped, glaring at his reflection in the mirror, apparently finding the unfastened buttons repulsive.

"Anti-social ne-" Jounouchi started, before stopping with a jolt.

"What, mutt?" Kaiba smirked.

At that expression, Jounouchi found himself chuckling unstoppably. How long had it been that they had actually quarrelled like this? Okay, not exactly quarrelled, they were simply yelling insults at each other but enjoying it. In fact, they never exactly did quarrel even in the past. Kaiba simply hurled insults at him and he would usually cursed the CEO back under his breathe. At most, they would bicker a minute or so, but nothing more.

"What the heck were we doing?" Jounouchi finally asked.

Kaiba shrugged, "I believe we were bickering. Reliving our school days, I guess."

"We didn't spend much time together in school." Jounouchi pointed out quickly. Oh good, Kaiba seemed to have forgotten about the buttons issue, or chose to surrender to his insistence.

"All the more reason for us to enjoy it now."

Kaiba proceeded to leave the changing room, but not before Jounouchi pulled him back, "Wait, people are going to recognise you as the infamously notorious Mister Seto Kaiba, in a school uniform, if you walk out like that."

"Mph."

Jounouchi chuckled and reached up to Kaiba's brown hair. They were surprisingly soft and matted. But well, considering Kaiba didn't have his hair gel with him in the hospital bathroom, that pretty much explained why his lover's hair wasn't all waxed and tidy.

Nonetheless, messing up Kaiba's hair proved to be a much more difficult task than he imagined. Kaiba's hairstyle, had after all, never changed in the last ten years since Junior High. Heck, it probably never changed since Kaiba had his first tuft of hair.

Five tries of hairstyles, ranging from centre parting to spiked, had Kaiba end up with a hairstyle more of less as messy as Jounouchi's.

"Happy now, puppy?" Kaiba frowned in the mirror. Nonetheless, his frown had a pinch of satisfactory not found with other hairstyles, "I look like a mop, or else a punk."

"You look great, Seto. Really. You should leave you hair tousled more. " Jounouchi convinced. He gave an extra pat on Kaiba's head to ruffle the brown hair up before adding, "And those buttons are staying that way unless you want me to call you a nerd."

"Mph." Kaiba huffed, frowning, before slamming the door open. Jounouchi found himself dragged out of the changing room. His clothes, together with Kaiba's, were crumpled into a ball under Kaiba's other arm as they made their way across the hall to another Section of the level.

"Em. Question, where are we going now?"

"How many times are you going to ask, mutt? Shopping of course!"

* * *

Kaiba smirked to himself as he watched Jounouchi licked away at his vanilla ice-cream happily.

The image of his puppy licking away at an ice-cream was enough to make him drool...

Of course not at the ice cream, but... at his puppy.

"So where are we going now?" Jounouchi interrupted, pausing in his licks as they walked down the long walkway of Domino City Hall.

There was a smudge of ice-cream on Jounouchi's lips, not enough for Jounouchi to notice, but infinitely enough to make Kaiba dribble away, wishing they were in somewhere desolate where he could lick away at Jounouchi for all he want.

And strangely, it was reminding him of the issue he had tired so hard to remember, and then abruptly forgotten earlier that morning.

"Seto?" Jounouchi repeated, knocking Kaiba out of his endless fantasies.

"Mn..." Kaiba grunted, glancing at the assets they had gained in the last two hours of shopping around the large shopping area. They had bought two nice pairs of identical sports shoes, two sling school bags that were carrying their original clothes, which, in the salesgirl's words were "cool" and in the latest fashion of hormone-charged teenage boys. And a vanilla ice-cream when Jounouchi complained of being hungry.

"Mn?"

"I don't know." Kaiba finally admitted. "I guess we can do what high school students do, since we're dressed in high school attires."

"Erm," Jounouchi paused, his brows raised. "That does not mean we're going to school, right?"

Kaiba chuckled. "No. I mean, what high school students do when they skip classes."

"Right." Jounouchi nodded slowly. "Arcade?"

"Is that what you, Yugi and Honda always did?"

"Yeah, we went to arcades, video rental stores, manga shops and game stores." Jounouchi replied, "And Kame Game shop. Some other times we just sit at Burger World and talk about duelling and other games. Sometimes I'll go over to his house and we'll do homework together."

Kaiba perked a brow, "You actually do your homework? From what I recall you were always the bottom student in school."

"Hey, I was not the bottom, just the bottom eighth. But yeah, Yugi always did his homework and he'd usually nag me to do it too, especially when it was nearing the end of our third year. He's really good at nagging, even till now. But most of the time, I copied his homework, or just don't do it at all. And then the teachers would be chasing me all over the school for my homework or forcing me to stay back after school to complete them. But heck, who cares? " Jounouchi paused, staring off at some students strolling in front of them, "But, well that was so long ago. It was fun."

"High school was insignificant to me. But I agree it was fun."

"Yup, except the exam and test parts. Those sucked."

"I wonder." Kaiba teased. "How you even became a veterinarian."

Jounouchi frowned. "What, you think I'm so stupid I can't become a veterinarian?"

"I suspected you couldn't even graduate, less say get into university." Kaiba answered non-chalently.

"Ha!" Jounouchi exclaimed proudly. "That just proves that when I want to get things done, I do get them done."

"I think it was pure luck on your side." Kaiba answered teasingly. "You must have been the only one opting for veterinarian studies that year."

"On the contrary." Jounouchi protested. "That year we had a whole bunch of people competing for the course."

"Mnnn. Then it must have been a computer error when it came to tabulating your scores." Kaiba smirked, watching Jounouchi's eyes grew wider with his sarcastic remark.

"Seto!" Jounouchi screeched, whacking him hard on the side.

Kaiba merely laughed and walked on, with Jounouchi poking him crossly on the side.

* * *

Jounouchi was unaccustomed to be treated like a celebrity as a mob of teenagers crowded in around him and the game machine that Kaiba was currently playing.

Kaiba was playing a racing game against the game machine. He was in the lead, making a new record and drawing plenty of attention around.

"He's so good. Look, he even beat KAI." Someone mumbled behind Jounouchi. Right, these people didn't know that the game genius before them was the game genius Seto Kaiba, codenamed KAI, himself. And none of them would probably have guessed that Seto Kaiba would disguise as a high school kid and visit his own arcade.

"Just who is he?"

"He's cute." Some girls crooned.

Yeah, Jounouchi found himself smiling, he's mine. So, paws off.

Kaiba finished his last round around the track skilfully. Naturally, he was in the lead and broke his old record.

When asked to enter his name, Jounouchi found Kaiba keying in JOU.

"Se-" Jounouchi started.

"Jono." Kaiba corrected, standing up from the seat.

Jounouchi blinked, watching Kaiba walk off briskly through the crowd to another game console.

Jounouchi followed and caught up quickly, asking quietly. "If you're Jono, then I'm...?"

Kaiba looked at him as if he was talking to the greatest idiot in the world, before mouthing the word. "Seth."

"Seth." Jounouchi echoed dumbly, watching Kaiba insert coins into the game console.

Kaiba looked up from his game briefly and smirked. "Or if you want, Kisara is fine with me."

"Very funny. Jono." Jounouchi answered, trying to keep a straight face.

"I know. Kisara." Kaiba answered, seemingly fully-concentrated on the game, though a small smile was visible.

"Jono!" Jounouchi whacked Kaiba on the head hard, causing some of the girls who had followed over to wince.

"You don't happen to have a tendency to hit people you love, do you?" Kaiba whispered, smiling and watching the graphics on the computer.

Jounouchi shook his head resignedly. Kaiba had a weird sense of humour sometimes.

"Are there any games you're not good at?" Jounouchi finally asked, dropping into a seat beside Kaiba.

"No."

"Fighting games? Racing? Pinball?" Jounouchi pressed on. There must be something he could beat Kaiba at. Before Kaiba became the star of the arcade, he had tried competing with him at every game he was good at, and ended up being badly trashed by Kaiba in the end.

"No." Kaiba answered, finishing the game's level easily and going on to the next.

Then it struck Jounouchi. If there was a game Seto Kaiba was not good at, it would be...

"Para Para, DDR?"

Silence.

Jounouchi grinned, trying to imagine Kaiba on the dance machine. "Let me guess. You're not good at those."

"Those are one of the most irrelevant games in the world." Kaiba answered sharply.

"Just because you don't play them doesn't make them irrelevant." Jounouchi argued, grinning away.

"I do play them." Kaiba countered quietly. "I play all the games that are out and decide what games meet the qualifications to be placed in Kaiba Land."

"And Para Para, DDR are not one of them?" Jounouchi asked.

"For a while they were." Kaiba answered carefully. "But now, no, no one plays them anymore."

"True." Jounouchi answered, lowering his voice to a whisper "Then why does your arcade still have the game machines?"

"The arcades are leased out. The renters have, to a certain extend, some words on what machines are to be placed here." Kaiba grumbled.

"Well, too bad then. We are playing it."

Kaiba turned away from the game, which he had just successfully won and topped again. "Is that a challenge?"

Jounouchi shrugged. "You can say so."

Kaiba smirked. "Bring it on. But as a gentle reminder, I have a superb sense of rhythm and balance."

* * *

"Mutt."

"..."

"Mutt!"

"Yes, MISTER Jounouchi?"

"Nothing much, mutt."

"..."

"Mutt."

"Enough of that already, Kaiba! A human can only take so much, you know!"

Kaiba smirked, "It's Master Jono Jounouchi, mutt, in case you forgot. Mutt."

If this was ten years ago, Kaiba was almost sure Jounouchi would have pounded him, or attempted to pound him to mash already. But now, his little puppy was just frowning a little unhappily at the insult.

Jounouchi scowled, "Remind me to tell Anzu I've found her a perfect Para Para dance partner, Mister Jounouchi."

"You lost, mutt." Kaiba stated matter-of-factly. "And according to our terms of competition, the loser gets called mutt, and have to call the other Master."

"I lost only by a few points." Jounouchi pointed out defiantly.

"You can be missing by a hair, but it's as good as missing by a mile. You. Lost. MUTT!"

While Jounouchi was still busy scowling, Kaiba's attention was drawn away to a shop littered with high school couples and giggling students.

Neoprint machines.

He turned to see Jounouchi staring expectantly at him.

Kaiba raised a brow, "Playing that?"

"Hm, we don't have many photos together, do we?" Jounouchi grinned and pulled Kaiba abruptly into one of the vacant machines.

"I thought only girls take neo-prints?" Kaiba grumbled as he inserted whatever coins he had into the machine, which somehow managed to tally up to the amount required.

"Guys too play it." Jounouchi argued as he expertly hit the buttons and did all the selections for them. "Yugi, Honda, Otogi, Bakura and I took hundreds of them back in high school, wrote our phone numbers on them and pasted them all over telephone booths to attract girls."

"Mn..." Kaiba grunted. His only experience with neo-print machines was back in high school when Mokuba had dragged him out to play on his birthday. The day had ended well until Mokuba convinced him to take one of those silly small diminutive prints as memoirs of the day. Nevertheless, the resulting prints were pretty good and Mokuba had practically given them out to everyone he knew.

"Get ready, sixteen shots!" Jounouchi announced triumphantly as he posed himself as a valiant knight.

Kaiba frowned.

Jounouchi stared at the screen capturing them. "Smile. Kai- Jono!"

"It's Master Jounouchi -" Kaiba reminded unhappily.

Click.

"Ha." Jounouchi grinned, "That was one picture –"

Click.

"Smile, Jono." Jounouchi prompted, ribbing Kaiba.

Kaiba attempted a little smile, for his puppy's sake.

Click.

Okay, that's wasn't that bad. Taking pictures could be more or less, fun.

Kaiba almost jumped as Jounouchi's arm slipped over his spine and wrapped around his shoulder.

Click.

And now his puppy was sticking his wet warm tongue out and making a victory sigh with the other hand.

That tongue, was oh so tempting.

Click.

Well, might as well make the best of it. He grabbed a surprised Jounouchi's head and tilted it to his.

Click.

"Wait, Seto, not here-"

Click.

The kissing attempt failed miserably when Jounouchi ducked away and his lips fell on his puppy's nose.

Click.

While Kaiba frowned, Jounouchi pulled away laughing.

Click.

"Spoilt puppy."

"Bad master." Kaiba chided as he launched his lips onto Jounouchi's.

Click.

Warm lips.

The slight taste of vanilla.

Click.

Jounouchi chuckled and pulled away obstinately. "We're wasting shots."

"No we're not." Kaiba answered swiftly as he caught Jounouchi's head with both hands firmly and kissed him on the forehead.

Click.

A sign of defeat from Jounouchi as the shorter man stopped resisting and allowed Kaiba to kiss him on the eyelids.

Click.

"Puppy..." Kaiba murmured into Jounouchi's ears, spinning Jounouchi around and grabbing him like a teddy-bear from behind. It felt so good to be close, to be holding Jounouchi in his arms, to feel Jounouchi's body heat through the thin summer uniform.

Click.

Or better still, without the uniform.

Swiftly, he reached over to unbutton the shirt with one hand, his other hand locking Jounouchi in his grasp tightly.

"Seto." Jounouchi mumbled warningly, reaching up to stop him.

Kaiba smirked, and whimpered into Jounouchi's ears seductively. A few whimpers and soft whispers were all it took for him to blow Jounouchi's mind as his lover's arms fell to his side and slumped against him weakly. Was it Rebecca who told him something about, stimulate an Aquarian's mind and you'll be halfway to the boudoir? Or maybe he had picked it up subconsciously from the women's magazines when he was throwing them out.

Nonetheless, the theory really seemed to work, and that was all that mattered now.

Click.

"It's a pity they don't have thirty-two shots, mph?" Kaiba found himself smiling as he pressed his nose into Jounouchi's matted hair, Jounouchi's shirt swinging in his hand.

"You can always blow them up and use them as wallpapers. Heck, you can even pin them on your tombstone." Jounouchi grinned, "And the next shot is the last, I think."

Click.

The last shot of them, was probably the silliest, with the two of them making heart signs with their fingers and smiling into the camera, a school shirt thrown in the air. Plus, two cartoon Red Eyes and Blue Eyes Dragons chuckling beside them in the background.

* * *

"Heck, I never thought I'll actually come back here." Jounouchi muttered as he heaved a leg over the wall and propelled himself over into the school compound. "And that I'll be wearing a school uniform and creeping into the school somewhere in the night."

Beside him, Kaiba's brown hair popped over the wall from the other side, then an arm, a leg, and Kaiba was on the same side of the wall as him.

"This place smells the same." Kaiba remarked.

"And who's the dog around here?"

"You, mutt. Now make your nose useful and lead us somewhere."

"Classroom?"

" B."

Class B. Jounouchi's feet led him up the stairs, down the dark corridor and into the familiar classroom. This was the same classroom he and Yugi, Honda, Bakura, Anzu and Otogi had filled up with so many memories, from their first year, all the way to their third year.

For most parts of the second year and third year, Kaiba was gone from their lives for most seasons, coming back for lessons from America only for the minimal attendance requirement. But well, of course surprisingly, Kaiba did manage to attend the two photo taking sessions in their second and third year. Or to phrase it more correctly, the school had rescheduled the photo taking sessions and most school activities to fit Kaiba's calendar. Jounouchi had snorted at that. Trust Domino High School to actually find out Kaiba's schedule and arrange the sessions accordingly. Then again, which school wouldn't have? To have Kaiba as their student was probably the greatest honour that had ever befallen them.

"Day-dreaming, mutt?" Kaiba taunted as the two of them stood in the empty classroom.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, about how unfortunate our teachers were having you in class."

"Me?" Kaiba scoffed. "I'll say, you were their headache. You, Yugi, Honda, the ones who were always at the bottom of the class."

"Who was the nerdy one who had to correct the teacher for everything?" Jounouchi shot back.

Kaiba brushed his hand through his hair smoothly. "It's not my fault if I'm smarter than them."

Jounouchi shook his head and glanced around the classroom. It was futile arguing with Kaiba. Kaiba had an amazing memory that probably stretched all the way back to infancy. Heck, he wouldn't be surprised if Kaiba could recall exact conversations between them back in high school.

His eyes outlined the familiar yet foreign classroom. It was like seeing something, and yet not seeing it. The familiarities were there, and they stirred his memories every now and then. The lockers at the back of the room, some left opened with books thrown messily into it. The chalkboard, though cleaned, still had remnants of the day's lessons on it, awaiting the janitor to clean it in the morning. But there were differences too. The desks and chairs were still in the same arrangement, lined in single rows and columns but there were a couple of extra desks here and there.

"I sat here." Jounouchi motioned to a desk near the back of the classroom.

"I recall that." Kaiba answered quietly.

"And you sat over there." Jounouchi continued, pointing to another desk not far away.

"Mn." Kaiba grunted, stepping towards the window.

"And." Jounouchi paused. "I was sitting in my seat, and Yugi was sitting here the day you came over and stole Yugi's Blue Eyes White Dragon."

Kaiba halted in his steps.

"And then, I guess that was the start of everything." Jounouchi went on. "Yugi's and your fate. And then there was Death-T, Duelist Island, Battle City, Doma, Kaiba Grand Prix, and a lot of things."

"Why are we talking about this?" Kaiba asked, staring out of the window.

"Nothing." Jounouchi shrugged. "I just want to know. How could you steal Blue Eyes White Dragon back then? And then tear it up?"

"I wanted it." Kaiba answered simply; nevertheless, his voice was firm and strong. "And I tore it up because I want no other person to own it."

Jounouchi's heart almost missed a beat. That answer had a frightening implication to it. Seto Kaiba was a very possessive man. And by loving something, he would actually destroy it rather then let it go. That was the way Seto Kaiba always was.

"And if you're wondering if I regret any of those actions, the answer is no."

Jounouchi nodded silently. Not sure what to say. The previous night's thoughts and the morning's unrest and depression set in again. He had learnt in doctoring school that it was a psychological effect. Night and darkness causes aggression and emotional disturbances manifestly. That was why suicides and murders were more often committed at night. "Sensitive issue. Let's do something else."

Kaiba turned around and Jounouchi could see his silhouette in the dark classroom against the lighted streets outside.

"Do something, puppy?"

Jounouchi gulped. The tone of Kaiba's voice was mischievous, if not, dangerous. Though he couldn't see Kaiba's facial expression in the dark, he could tell that Kaiba wasn't up to something good. And Kaiba was headed towards him currently.

"Um Kaiba?" Jounouchi called out nervously as he shot out of his seat -

Too late - Kaiba was already far from the windows and was right atop him.

"I think, you owe me too much."

Jounouchi swallowed hard. Kaiba's voice was husky and dangerous.

"Uh, how so?" Jounouchi asked, wriggling below Kaiba. Damn, Kaiba had him completely pinned.

"You kicked me twice, rejected me sexually twice, yet you so obviously want me. Then, your mother literally poisoned me." Kaiba answered smoothly.

"Uh huh." Jounouchi said slowly, trying to play along. "But mom didn't exactly want to poison you..."

"Never mind that, Katsuya. The point is, why are you so resisting to having sex with me?" Kaiba's voice was now much softer and gentler.

Jounouchi blinked as Kaiba's face hovered centimetres away from him.

"Are you so afraid of me?" The words were slow and sounded, almost like Kaiba was fearful of the answer.

Jounouchi lowered his head.

"Yes."

* * *

The single word was a sword ran through his heart.

Silently, Kaiba pulled himself off Jounouchi and turned away.

"Why?" The words spilled out of his mouth before he even registered them. The crude and hostile tone of his voice shocked both of them as they both seemed to jolt involuntarily at his voice.

"Seto." Jounouchi called out hurriedly, grabbing the taller man's uniform shirttail from behind. "I'll explain. Sit down."

Kaiba frostily moved out of Jounouchi's hold and sat four tables away.

"Katsuya, it's not just about the sex, is it?"

Jounouchi sighed and shrugged. "Probably. I'm not sure. But firstly, Seto, you are a frightening person."

Kaiba closed his eyes and took a deep breathe of the cool night air, preparing himself for whatever Jounouchi had to say.

"Possessive, vengeful at times, temperament- I don't know. You can be smiling at one moment, yet the next, you can be a cold and ruthless bastard." Jounouchi started. "Given, you have been very patient with me, and never yelled at me or forced me to do things that I don't like... but, heck, I still don't know you."

Kaiba started to open his mouth.

Jounouchi continued, "Or maybe, it's because I know so much about you that I wonder if I'll ever reach your standards."

"My standards aren't that high. I'm not that demanding, Katsuya."

"Oh well, then maybe it's because I'm trying to make myself better, so that I can stand right beside you and be proud of that."

Kaiba had to frown on that comment. "I'm happy with how you are now."

"But I'm not. And last night, while you were unconscious I was thinking about your marriage proposal. And I figured out the difference between us, and Honda and Bakura. They are gays –"

"And so are we."

"No. You are bisexual. You can love both men and women. But I'm can't. I only love you because you are Seto Kaiba. I can't love other men."

Kaiba blinked, trying to absorb what Jounouchi was trying to express.

"I can't figure out if that's a compliment or not." He finally replied.

"And I'm worried..." Jounouchi looked away, deep in thought, "What if one day I just wake up and realize that I really don't want to be in a gay relationship? That I find it icky ...and just... icky."

"Icky, is a terrible word to use in our relationship. But I don't blame you, Katsuya." Kaiba leaned back against his chair and stared out the window at the bright streets far away, "If it makes you feel better, I used to feel the same."

Jounouchi looked at him in surprise.

"I don't think I was born a homosexual." Kaiba explained. "At least, I didn't find boys sexually appealing when I was a boy. The first man that attracted me was my junior high school doctor. Your fathers and Otogi know about it, but you weren't around when I told them."

"Go on." Jounouchi prompted.

"He was-" Kaiba paused uncomfortably. Sharing his personal life with others was completely alien to him. But Jounouchi seemed to need the sharing of this little information about him.

"Go on please, Seto." Jounouchi pressed patiently.

"He was about twenty-eight years old, young, charming and by all means sexy. All the girls in the school were crazy about him. But he was completely unfeeling towards those junior high girls.

"I was in year three and was planning to take over Kaiba Corp soon. Gozaburo was still around at that point of time. The pressure he gave was immense and almost mind-breaking.

"Gozaburo, though was not interested in my ideas, obviously wanted me as a successor. He didn't have much choice anyway. I took a lot of leave from school to work as an apprentice in Kaiba Corp, but I still had to go to school every now and then to fulfil the school attendance requirements-"

"Sorry for interrupting." Jounouchi broke in. "But I've always been wondering why you bothered to come to school at all."

"I needed to set a good example for Mokuba." Kaiba answered quickly. "But we're digressing.

"School was also a good escape from work and the stress I have when I'm with Gozaburo. When I was in junior high, I spent more time in the sick bay than in the classroom, sleeping the day away, replenishing my energy and spirit, unknown to Mokuba and Gozaburo. It was there I got to know the school doctor very well, who understood enough to write me letters for my absence from class. Of course, the school couldn't really care as long as I was in school and the attendance was taken.

"And one autumn day the year I was graduating, I found him dozing away on the bed..." Kaiba trailed off, watching Jounouchi. His puppy was listening intently at every single word. And obviously not jealous in anyway. It was beyond him how Jounouchi could exhibit no jealousy at all at all times.

"Must had been the wet weather, I kissed him, out of the blue- and regretted it instantly. I bolted out of the room and vowed never to return." Kaiba continued, chuckling quietly at his own crazy teenage behaviours.

"I thought I must have gone crazy to kiss him. We were both men. I refused to believe I was homosexual. I felt, icky. The next few weeks, I observed myself carefully. The relief came that I wasn't attracted to all men, only him; the other comfort was that I didn't find females repulsive, or rather, I also like females.

"So what did you do?" Jounouchi asked.

Kaiba shrugged, "I did nothing. Though there was the relief, I still refused to call myself a bisexual. I was straight as long as he wasn't around. It should have ended there. But one day near graduation, he came to me himself."

"Go on."

"He said he didn't blame me for kissing him, because he was homosexual and he did have a liking for me.

"That day, we spent the whole day talking about sex, bisexuality, gay relationships and so on. That was my first lesson in sexuality preference. He said that it didn't matter whichever gender both parties are as long as they love each other. And that every relationship has its risks. Regardless whether it is a normal or gay relationship. People often think that gay relationships are hard to sustain, but I think, that love is stronger than any other kind of love. They only have each other, and that makes each other all the more important." Kaiba finally said, looking hard at Jounouchi.

"That's... meaningful..." Jounouchi said after a long period of silence and deep thinking.

"Your turn. You have a lot to explain."

Jounouchi took a deep breathe before starting. "I worry that I'll hurt you, in the end."

Kaiba blinked.

Hurt him? Didn't Jounouchi know that he had already hurt him enough and they weren't even near the end? The pain inflicted was not only physical, but also emotionally, when he got rejected him again and again.

"Therefore you keep resisting me, because you are afraid that we might fall too deeply in love with one another, and that one day you will suddenly wake up and decide you don't want me." Kaiba mumbled in the dark.

"Yes." Jounouchi answered softly.

"You're hurting me even more now." He murmured softly, but loudly enough for Jounouchi to hear him.

* * *

Jounouchi closed his eyes and buried his face into his hands.

"I know." He whispered. "I thought about it the whole of last night, while you were lying there in the hospital bed. And I think I've hurt you a lot by now. And it is only going to get worse if our relationship deepens."

Jounouchi raised his head to see Kaiba jerk up, visibly taken back.

"You're not talking about breaking up." Kaiba's voice was shaky.

Jounouchi was silent. The thought had been on his mind the whole day, and the entire previous night while watching Kaiba. Kaiba had been lying there, almost dying, and he was responsible for it.

Maybe, it might be better for Kaiba if they split up-

"Never." Kaiba snapped suddenly, his voice reverting to its original firmness.

"Huh?" Jounouchi watched as Kaiba stand up and walk towards the classroom's door.

"I'm glad you told me how you feel." Kaiba continued, "I now understand what your problem is and I do not accept breaking up as a solution."

"Eh?"

"I think that you're still in shock from the anaphylactic shock, and you're confused when you're talking about the breaking up."

"Eh?" Jounouchi repeated. A part of him was stunned but yet another part relieved at the coolness Kaiba was showing while confront a break-up. But then again, Kaiba wasn't exactly confronting, but rather escaping it.

"Give both of us time, Katsuya." Kaiba finally said. "I'll work out a solution soon. Now I'm going up to the rooftop, pull yourself together, and when your mind is clear, come up and meet me. I'll be waiting there as long as you're thinking."

Finished with whatever he had to say, Kaiba stepped out of the classroom, leaving Jounouchi to gape in the classroom and listening to Kaiba's fading footsteps echo down the empty corridor.

* * *

Kaiba took a deep breathe of the fresh night air as he stood on the edge of the roof, overlooking Domino's City dazzling skyline. The scenery was far from better for overlooking the city than from Kaiba Corp, which provided the best overview of the whole city. Nevertheless, standing on a four story high building watching the rooftops of houses nearby and tall lighted buildings far off was a good change.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to return to the prior conversation with Jounouchi and how he had ended it abruptly. By giving both of them time, he had given them a chance to re-evaluate their relationship by far, and a period of time to come up with solutions for the problems that had been underlying all the while.

Admittedly, he had denied himself from seeing all the problems and doubts Jounouchi had, choosing to push them out of his sight and mind for a long time already.

When he had just returned to Domino City and met Jounouchi, he had seen it as a challenge to hook up with Jounouchi, and to make the mutt want him. But by the night he brought a drunk Jounouchi back to his house, he knew he had fallen hopelessly for that puppy, but that his puppy would never commit to him. It was inevitable. People were scared of him naturally. Or else they hated him. He was demanding, arrogant and definitely not the best companion.

In fact, he could never understand how the puppy could even love him.

But, of course, puppies were silly and naive.

The point was, the problem with their relationship was not only Jounouchi's responsibility. Given, Jounouchi's resistance against sex and fear of commitment did pose an important dilemma. But Kaiba did have his own shares of doubts and confusions -

What if, he was only playing with Jounouchi?

What if, he got sick of Jounouchi after they had sex?

In the past, his lovers never played hard to get, and those relationships, as serious as they were, had ended off half-hearted. With Jounouchi, he may actually dump the puppy faster than Mokuba changes his girlfriends.

And then there were the questions like what if, even after they got together, Jounouchi couldn't stand the press and media?

So many what ifs. So little answers.

At this point of time, if he was dealing with Kaiba Corporation's problems, he would go for a few rounds of duelling, relax and then deal with the problems one by one.

He couldn't duel now, so he would have to skip that phase and go straight to dealing with the problems. Providentially, staring at the night view and breathing the cool fresh air did help him loosen up...

The problem boiled down to the fear of hurting each other.

And that could only be solved by trust and commitment from both sides.

In Kaiba's view, that was what a marriage and family could provide. The kids, could hold them together.

But before marriage, that was also the issue of sex. And to solve that –

Advertisement clipping.

In the hidden pocket of the wallet.

So, that was what he had been struggling to recall for the entire day. It seemed almost too coincident that he managed to remember it now. It might just be one of the solutions...

"Seto."

Kaiba almost jumped, having been so absorbed in his thoughts he hadn't sensed Jounouchi's arrival.

"Done with thinking, Katsuya?"

Jounouchi blinked several times, seemingly hesitant and unsure.

"Katsuya?" Kaiba prompted patiently.

"Actually." Jounouchi admitted, "After you left, I realise I didn't know what exactly you wanted me to think about."

Kaiba blinked.

Right. Next time paraphrase questions in simpler forms.

"I wanted you to think about whether you want our relationship..." He paused, unwilling to continue, "...think about you want us to break up. It may be because you were upset over my anaphylaxis attack, and together with some other pressure that got you stressed. But now I'm fine. You can put that behind you. And for the other problems, I'm willing to solve them with you. That is, if you are willing to go on with me."

Jounouchi drew in a breath, "Honestly, Seto. I love our relationship. But I don't know where it leads us to."

Kaiba shrugged and trailed off to the fencing around the roof, "I can't answer that, Katsuya... It may result in a few months of happy memories, years of companionship, marriage, or even a family with the both of us and Kisara, Seth and Jono. Or, it could also end up, as you said, a horrible ending with us both badly hurt."

Jounouchi was silent.

Kaiba turned and looked hard at Jounouchi. "What do you want it to be, Katsuya?"

Family.

Say it, please. Kaiba found himself wishing silently as he watched his puppy's deep thoughtful eyes.

Imagine it, a family of them, strolling down the beach casually, sitting at the couch watching television or even just sitting at the dinning table and having meals together. One happy family. It was an image so far yet so possible. One hushed whisper and the image might just shatter. But a simple commitment might bring dreams to reality.

"I love you, Seto."

Please don't add a 'but' behind that.

"And I still want to be with you."

But?

Silence.

No more words on Jounouchi's parts.

No buts.

Relief.

Great relief.

Relief so great he only just realized that he was-

"You know what Seto?" Jounouchi piped, a small smile spilling over his lips.

"Yeah?"

"I've seen one of the three largest miracles happen to Seto Kaiba today."

"And that is?"

"First, you danced Para Para with me in front of public." Jounouchi grinned bashfully, strolling over to join him at the fence, "Then you took a neoprint with me."

His puppy paused and reached a hand over to rub his wet eyes, "And you're crying now."

Kaiba attempted to turn away but surrendered to Jounouchi eventually. He wasn't crying. But it was true his eyes had watered very slightly, and it was strictly from relief and barely observable.

"I'm not crying, mutt. Dust flew into my eyes." He countered faintly.

"Very convincing, Master Jounouchi. But if you were afraid to cry alone, you could always tell me and I can cry with you."

"Told you I was not crying – Oh damn!" Kaiba cursed abruptly.

"What?" Jounouchi looked at him blankly, mildly surprised at his sudden outburst.

"I forgot what I was trying to recall for the entire day again." Kaiba growled in frustration.

"Would this help?"

Before Kaiba realized what was happening, Jounouchi was right before him, soft lips pressed down on his. There was the faint taste of honey popcorn they had previously eaten in the cinema while watching the new Duel Monster movie.

And the thing that he kept missing –

The newspaper clipping in his wallet.

Jounouchi pulled a short distance away and grinned back at him, a haughty smirk on his face.

"Did that help?"

"Most definitely." Kaiba grinned, "And I wouldn't mind a few more."

He received a smack on his head.

"We have to go back to Kaiba Medical Center now." Jounouchi reminded, "It's almost midnight. We'll probably have to sneak in. I'm lucky Seth and Jono are sleeping over at your place with Kisara tonight or they would have been worried sick by now."

"Oh god..." Kaiba slapped his hand on his forehead, realizing the implications. They had been gone for the whole day, without making even a call back, Mokuba and the doctors had to be worried dead, or fuming like volcanoes. "Wait, how did you know Seth and Jono are sleeping over at my place?"

"Uh, I called them just now before coming up." Jounouchi admitted.

Kaiba smirked. 'Then, Mokuba must know I'm with you, safe and sound... Why did you call them?"

His puppy shrugged, "I wanted to hear what the kids might say. But when I heard their voices, the three of them, playing and laughing over the phone, I realize I didn't really want us to split. They need us together, and I love Kisara too."

Kaiba smiled, "And I love the twins too.

"So what now?" Jounouchi asked.

"We can stay a little longer." Kaiba answered, climbing up the high fences on the roof separating them from the building's edge.

"Seto, what are you doing?" Jounouchi asked, watching him atop the fences.

"Come up. It's a great view up here." Kaiba welcomed from above.

Frowning but obliging, his lover climbed up the eight foot fence to join him at the top.

"Watch." Kaiba whispered into his ear softly, watching the beautifully lighted night streets of Domino City, where in the middle of the city, the brightest and tallest building stood majestically. It was like a lustrous Christmas tree towering above all others.

"Uh huh." His lover answered, following his gaze onto the shimmering building.

It would be any time now.

Midnight.

And there would be a beautiful sight.

At the struck of twelve, Kaiba Corporation gave a bright flash of light. Then like a domino effect, the orange glowing lights of each level, starting from the top of the building, turned dark and cascaded down.

"That is..."

His lover's question was left unanswered as he reached over and kissed him tenderly as the last light of Kaiba Corp went out.

_To be continued..._

* * *

**Authors' Comments:**

1) According to the manga, Kaiba took over Kaiba Corporation when he was 16 years old.

2) People, patience. Sex is not everything.

3) This came from a reviewer who emailed over some chapters ago. She couldn't review on FFN, but here's a credit for her. And Thanks.

Review:_ For some odd reason wouldn't let me review so I came here instead. I really enjoy your story and please don't be mad at me for not reviewing earlier but I just started to read it a few days ago and I finally got the last chapter done. I just wanted to let you know I enjoy it a lot.  
Kinuko_

4) Actually we did mention that Kaiba has an allergy to alcohol in _Chapter 6: Boys' Night Out._

5) We were thinking, and now to think of it... the title of this fic doesn't make any sense at all... Oo.

6) To Lucifur: Whether it should be son-on-law or daughter-in-law very much depends on Jounouchi's mother's perspective. Jounouchi's mother wants a daughter-in-law, and not a son-in-law. Hence her speaking of Kaiba as a daughter-in-law is actually to express her distaste towards Kaiba and her wish to have a daughter-in-law. Makes sense? -

7) Our gratitude to TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar aka Firey Kitty, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, , Hoody Ha!, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, anonymous, FREAK014, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, Marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6, K.M.A, ArticaMarsial, Konniwa, Sly Kitsune, silverKitty2525, Macbeth's Mistress, Dragna Vey, sapphire-wolf1, Johnny-Depp-Luv, Slate Grey, Abyssinian Rose, Midnight Ember, fiby, Cat, Faia Ookami, Jenniyah, Vluko1, IBK, lil-Jenny, Hideki LaShae, Tyrone I.G. Shawver, AnimeRuby, ColeyCarissa, lilworros, Lil'wystynyra, Shadowy Fluffball, Shinigami, Kakarots-Frying-Pan, Magus 101, kaibajoey1, Ceth, vapidbreath, Nuin, swtdreams07, Zelda-Jewel, Lady-Silverkiss, The Fae Fanfiction Hunter, Amy Hirosaki, Ami of Destiny, C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity, KandKL, Arfy, Web-of-Knots, LuCiFeR, Kinuko, Alli Hearts, Jas, Lil Nezumi, Assassin of the Shadows, Ruby, Chikyu 4444, Julianna, Mizu, markyc58, FireieGurl, frech, oneontainternet, Kourime Miko Miyao, Lucifer, FitsofRage, Morghann, yolei, sweeetangel and many more who has yet to leave a name!

8) Re-uploaded on 13th September. Spotted error on the scene changes... apologies to all readers.


	18. Chapter 16: Pet Lover

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 16**

**

* * *

**

The rain had begun as soon as he backed out of their driveway. Late summers in Domino City were not frequently wet. But this year, a cloud of grey seemed to mist over the city's sky frequently, pouring its tears down the streets at the most particular times.

Switching on the wipers, Jounouchi turned his Outlander into the main street. Damned road was always jammed during Saturday afternoons and worse during rainy days. He was lucky to have left the house five minutes earlier than planned. Kaiba hated tardiness.

Kaiba. The simple thought of Kaiba was enough to bring a smile to his lips and to forget the traffic jam he was currently stuck in.

Seth and Jono's play that night was something he was swollen with pride of and furiously looking forward to. But no doubt, there was another source for this exclusive tinge of bliss-

Seto Kaiba. His lover.

The world has its wonders, that is, who would have thought of them ending up together?

They who had once snapped at each other at every opportunity they could.

And now find each other too attractive for their own good.

Rivals turned lovers.

Almost a fairy tale.

Given, two weeks ago, he had been stepping between the two lines of continuing the relationship, and breaking it. But that night in Domino High, Kaiba and him had somehow managed to weather the storm. He did not regret taking their relationship to the brink. It was the possibility of a break-up that had forced them to see into their glazed future and allowed them to talk.

Kaiba had been understanding, and shared a part of his history with him.

And those tears that had fallen that night like rain today…

Kaiba had cried, for him.

Though it was only two water droplets, barely noticeable, that fell from those crystal blue eyes, it was enough.

Flicking on the radio, soft music filled the car and Jounouchi found himself beaming at the familiar lines.

"…Somewhere over the rainbow... blue birds fly...And the dreams that you dream of, dreams really do come true..."

On Noa's ark, they had both stood beneath one fallen star and wished upon it. It had been a lie when he told Kaiba he hadn't wished for anything. A lie to Kaiba and to himself. Standing beneath the starry heavens on the deck that night, deep down somewhere, he had made a wish.

An image actually, for just even a brief second - Him and Kaiba together, with the kids. Almost like the picture that Jono and Seth had drew for one of their art lessons.

"Someday I'll wish upon a star, wake up where the clouds are far behind me..."

They weren't very far from what he had wished.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high…"

"Daddy, stick to humming." Jono interrupted, half rising his eyes away from the play's script.

Jounouchi raised an eyebrow and chuckled as he watched his twins scowl at him in the rear mirror. The words had spilled out of his lips before he even noticed. It was amazing how some things would never go away, like the lyrics to this song, the evening of Shizuka's wedding, the morning swim in Kaiba's pool and so on… These memories stayed locked in place, in some part of his memory warehouse. It was unexplainable.

And it seems an unbreakable law that all kids would feel embarrassed when their parents sang.

"You're disrupting our memorization." Seth piped.

"Okay. Sorry." Jounouchi replied and stuck to singing in his head. Reflected in the rear mirror, behind him in the backseat, his twins were peacefully reading their scripts and preparing themselves for their last full-dress rehearsal and the final performance in the evening. Both were clad in similar costumes – dragon masks half covering their faces, cloaks wrapped around their shoulders and their slightly heeled boots hung smartly above the ground of the car. The only distinguishing factor was that they were shrouded in different colours. Seth's mask was a crimson red and his cloak was black, while Jono's mask was blue and his cloak white.p

Jounouchi observed their faces silently. There was no doubt they were his kids. The blond hair, the mischievous eyes, the nose, the whole face. It was like staring at a double of himself as a kid. He could already guess the future of the twins - numerous fans and girls wanting them, unaccountable dates- that is if the twins could get over their shyness, but then the shyness might be gone with age.

With his genes, the twins were going to look as good as him, if not, better.

And even better for the girls of their age, they get double the handsome sight.

The jam seemed to have improved and he cruised on. His two handsome little boys were back to reading their scripts and barely noticing his company. Jounouchi's mind drifted from the pride of having such beautiful kids to a slight tingling of sorrow.

Just over less than half a year ago, Seth and Jono would have been singing alongside with him and breaking havoc in his car. But now the two were quiet and fully concentrated on the coming up play. Evocative. Children grow up fast.

Too fast sometimes in Jounouchi's point of view. Sometimes he wished he was still the little boy bringing Shizuka to the beach.

Turning back to his kids, it was nonetheless comforting to have the boys growing up and entering school. The boys now seemed to have fewer problems with books.

The school no doubt had alleviated Seth of his OCD slightly and helped Jono in reading. Of course, Jono wasn't breezing through ten books a day but at least, the younger twin no longer loathed reading, that much.

"Nervous?" He prompted as Seth and Jono looked up at their daddy in unison, as if wondering why their daddy was starring at them.

Blank stares from the twins.

"It's just a drama." Seth answered blandly.

"I'm not nervous." Jono crossed his arms and announced. "I'm cool."

Jounouchi chuckled, shaking his head, knowing that in truth, the twins were practically all hyped up from the excitement, having yakked non-stop about their play since the previous two nights. The night before, they had even asked for an extended bed time so they could do some last minute private rehearsal in their room. His two boys had something up their sleeves no doubt. He was positive about that.

Well, tonight he would see what they were up to.

Turning his Mitsubishi Outlander into the school car park, he was greeted by a horde of cars squeezing in and out of the school compound. Rainy days always had the school packed with vehicles of parents who drove to drop off their kids.

"I see Aunt Mai, Harpy, Kisara and her daddy!" Jono grinned, smiling face pressed against the window and making prints all over his window panes.

"Where?" There was barely a convenient spot to drop the kids off safely, less say a parking space.

"There!" Jono answered, pointing to the large crowd gathered at the school pavilion and moving off into the classrooms.

He stole a glance over. No Kaiba there. Has Kaiba reached yet? "We'll look for them later."

Perfect. A car just a few steps away from the main entrance was just turning out of its parking lot. He manoeuvred into it skilfully and killed the engine.

"Are we going to run through this?" A worried Seth asked, staring at his new black boots.

"No. we'll wait a bit. The rain might get lighter."

More rain, more lightning, more thunder, and an anxious Seth stared at the clock glumly. The windows were fogging from the warmth within and though it was only two in the afternoon, the world had become murky and obscure beneath the roiling cloud. It suddenly occurred to Jounouchi that it was forever raining when he drove the kids to school, and that the fruition of his and Kaiba's relationships seemed to be predestined to wet days in school.

If Kaiba hadn't assisted him in enrolling the kids into the school on that particular March bucketing day, he wouldn't have invited Kaiba to Shizuka's wedding. Then Kaiba wouldn't have kissed him and started the globe rolling.

And afterwards, if Kaiba hadn't helped him on a particular drizzly week when he was sick and lonely, he wouldn't have asked Kaiba to their night out, and wouldn't have wound up at Kaiba house and got himself into a truce.

And then, there were-

"Dad, we're going to be late." Seth interrupted.

Right. The rain didn't seem to be getting lighter. And Seth's worried glare was starting to look like Kaiba's on a hyper-Kisara day. "Pull up your raincoat hoods."

"Aye." The kids did as told while Jounouchi searched the car for an umbrella. If memory served him, he had two somewhere in the car…

Somewhere in the car…

…trunk?

The fact almost had him bursting out in laughter if not for the seriousness of the matter. He was going to have to get out of the car without a raincoat, without an umbrella, to get to his trunk to get an umbrella to shelter the kids because stupidity and absent-mindedness had him leaving his umbrellas in the car trunk, not for the first and last time.

"Daddy?"

"I'll be back in a moment."

Groaning and sighing at his own idiocy, Jounouchi pushed open his rear door and stepped out of the car-

And bumped into a sturdy and warm chest.

Sweet cinnamon.

Warm and welcoming in the cold air.

"I figured you left your umbrellas in the trunk again, pup." His lover murmured, holding a large blue umbrella that sheltered the both of them.

Jounouchi smiled, removing his face from the hard toned chest. It was almost like throwing himself onto Kaiba again, like he did on Shizuka's wedding day at the shrine. "I forgot to take them out."

He glanced up to see blue eyes twinkling with laughter.

"Very funny." Jounouchi mumbled, punching his lover lightly on the stomach.

"I brought you umbrellas and the reward is getting punched. I thought it would be something better like a kiss."

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Not in front of the kids and… the public…and you know the principal doesn't like it."

"Not since I paid him a visit the last time he made any comments. His pay check will be on the run if he even looks at us in a more than disturbing manner." A large red umbrella was opened and chucked to Jounouchi.

"I'll shelter one of them over. You take the other."

Jounouchi nodded as Kaiba swung the back door open and ordered one out of the kids out. An amused Seth scrambled out into Kaiba's arms while Jounouchi moved in to collect Jono.

"Not fair daddy." Jono grumbled and followed out the car.

"And why's that?" Jounouchi asked, taking care to shelter his younger son from the rain.

"Uncle Seto is carrying Seth in his arms."

Jounouchi swung around in surprise, almost forgetting to shelter his other son at the same process, to see the heart-warming sight of Kaiba carrying Seth carefully in his arms. His very thrilled son's legs dangled over those strong arms.

"Daddy I'm getting wet over here."

Jounouchi spun back to Jono. His younger son was half standing in the rain, taking a slight shower.

"You're seven years old, Jono. Are you sure you still want me to carry you? I thought you said you were cool just now." Jounouchi teased.

Jono pouted and crossed his arms. "Being cool doesn't mean I won't let you carry me. Plus, if you carry me, my shoes won't get wet."

"Next time maybe." There were but three steps away from the school building and Jounouchi really didn't feel like carrying a very heavy Jono, especially after having lugged an extremely overweight Saint Bernard onto his examination table and succeeding in straining his spine that morning. But it was obvious Jono was going to remember this little unfairness all the way to his next life if he weren't carried like Seth.

Sighing in amusement and defeat, Jounouchi bent and scooped up a pleased Jono with his other free arm, yelping silently as he felt a slight crack at his back.

"Katsuya?" A concerned Kaiba asked, noticing his sudden jolt in movement.

Jounouchi winced silently. But the sight of his two grinning boys was enough to make him smile and shrug it off as he returned a reassuring smile to Kaiba and headed for the classrooms.

* * *

"Seth! Jono!" Kisara greeted as she bounced over to her daddy who was currently carrying a grinning Seth. Seth, in a black cloak and red mask looked good, she decided, but not as good as Jono, who was dressed in white with a light aqua mask as the White Dragon Prince. If only she could be the White Dragon Prince too, it was so unfair that girls couldn't be white dragons!

"Nervous?" Seth and Jono's daddy prompted, bending down to allow a squirming Jono out of his grasp.

"Nope. Not at all!" Kisara grinned, receiving a pat on her head. She had spent the entire week memorising all their scripts well and ran the entire play and developments in her mind for countless times. Her brilliant plan and the play were going to work out very, very fine. That is, just as soon as she got hold of Seth who was currently waving to the approaching Harpy and her mother.

"How's Shizuka, Jounouchi?" Harpy's mother smiled at Seth and Jono's daddy.

"Horrific." Jounouchi grinned, "She's having very bad mood swings. Ryuji has been the couch guardian for the past week. Reminds me of you when you were having Harpy. My dad and his wife have moved over to her place temporarily to take care of her."

Kisara tilted her head to a side as she stared at the chatting pair. If there was something she still hasn't figured out, it was the relationship between Aunt Mai and Uncle Jounouchi. She had heard from Seth and Jono that Aunt Mai and Uncle Jounouchi had been together for a while… and for most of the times too until her daddy came back. Then who was Harpy's daddy? Or was Harpy adopted too?

Turning to her daddy, she couldn't help but giggle at the look that her daddy was give Aunt Mai. It was always the same look – not exactly friendly, but not very unfriendly either. It was the look that her daddy always got when he looked at Aunt – not, not aunt, Sister Rebecca. Her Uncle Mokuba's current girlfriend had promptly given her a really good glare after being addressed as an 'Aunt'.

Anyway, back to her daddy's look. It was sort of, a jealous look. One that was foreign and amusing to Kisara since they came to Domino City.

Her daddy planted Seth down onto the floor and Kisara took the opportunity to grab her friend away, "Seth, I have something to tell you."

"Oh…okay, what's up?" Seth asked so innocently Kisara almost felt horns of evil popping up her head.

"The sky?" She teased before turning serious and grabbed Seth's ears towards her lips. "Listen, I -"

"Seth." Kisara almost jumped when Aunt Mai interrupted abruptly, "I need to put on some make-up on you and do some last minute tailoring for your clothes."

"Oh… okay."

Kisara frowned as her victim pulled away.

"Later, Kisara." The little boy promised as he headed off to their classroom cum temporary dressing room with Aunt Mai.

Great timing. Pouting, she contemplated on what she could do. Her eyes steal to Jono, who was happily chatting and flaunting his blue eyes cape and mask to Harpy.

Nope. The chances of her plans working on Jono were as good as none. Zilch. Zero. Nah. Jono was way too- stubborn, and way too 'cool' to ever agree to her plan. Seth was the gentler and more selfless one.

It had to be Seth.

Fortunately, there was still time. There was the entire afternoon to convince Seth about her plan. And Seth would definitely agree to help her. He would know how much his help meant for her. Smiling, she ran off to join Harpy and Jono.

* * *

"Alright, I checked with Miss Yamato. The kids will start their rehearsal in about twenty minutes. Their rehearsal and will end at about five. Then, the school will be providing them with dinner. And the show starts at seven sharp." Jounouchi reported as he sat beside Kaiba in Kaiba's Hyundai Matrix. "So, we have a couple of free hours."

Kaiba blinked, turning his attention away from the traffic on the road.

His lover returned a blank stare. "Ah, the great Seto Kaiba day-dreaming away?"

Kaiba paused before chuckling softly. "No… it's just that…"

"What?" Jounouchi eyed him suspiciously.

"Just that what you just said made me feel like we're a married couple sending our kids to school." Kaiba teased in a low voice and watched in amusement as blood gushed all the way up into Jounouchi's face. It was interesting how prone Jounouchi was to blushing and how he could turn six shades of red at one go.

"I didn't know you are that shy." Kaiba teased.

"Am not. You think too much." Jounouchi defended himself. He wasn't shy, it was just… marrying Kaiba? The idea was as awkward as it was ridiculous to many people. "Whatever, where are we going? You said you had plans."

"Yes. It's a date." Kaiba answered, taking his attention off the road momentarily and leaning over to give his puppy a quick peck on the lips. The rain was heavy enough to mask them in the car.

Jounouchi frowned and crossed his legs. "It's not going to be another trip to Kaiba Corporation where I get to ferment and sprout moss watching you work."

Kaiba raised a brow at the comment. They were on the highway leading to Kaiba Corporation, or basically, the city area. It was also true there had been a couple of times, okay more than a couple of times actually, that he had to get back to Kaiba Corporation during their dates and Jounouchi had to bore himself out reading and re-reading the business magazines that his puppy found astoundingly uninteresting.

"I thought you like watching me work?"

"Uh, yes, but-"

The dreaded look on his puppy's face was enough to make Kaiba's laugh. Jounouchi had no doubt developed a phobia towards his office.

"No, we're not going to Kaiba Corporation." He assured, checking his car clock. At this rate, they would reach their destination just on time and Jounouchi could enjoy his shock of the century.

"Not a strip-tease bar."

"That never occurred to me. The fact that you thought about it, are you always thinking of it? Which reminds me, you owe me one strip-tease."

"Get real, Seto." Jounouchi shot back, whacking him on the shoulder.

"Will you stop hitting me?" Kaiba winced. The puppy had a bad habit of hitting people, lightly, once insulted. But that was his puppy, always communicating through touch and learning things through physical experience.

"Will you stop teasing me?"

"No. We're going to either a church or a Shinto temple. Which one would you prefer?"

"Prefer for?" Jounouchi looked at him suspiciously.

"Getting married."

Jounouchi whacked him in the head.

"Alright, seriously, where are we going?"

Kaiba ignored his question and slipped a hand into a pocket.

"Here, I got this for you."

Jounouchi's eyes widened as Kaiba dangled a simple silver chain in front of him. Thos brown orbs eyes crept down to the polished ornament to study the silver ring, a simple piece of silver with inscriptions engraved in the interior band.

"What is this?" Jounouchi frowned. "A proposal?"

"If you want it to be." Kaiba answered a corner of his mouth twitching as he watched his counterpart's mouth fell open.

"I… Uh.." Jounouchi started, flabbergasted.

While the traffic lights turned red, Kaiba leaned over and hung the chain over his puppy's neck, taking the chance to nuzzle his puppy's tender neck and breathing in the sweet creamy smell. Vanilla. Always so sweet, though there was a tinge of animal smell sometimes, especially after Jounouchi had worked in the vet for an entire day. Nevertheless, Kaiba could live with that. Though he strongly disliked most aromas, the animal scents on Jounouchi made his puppy seemed wild. Almost untamed. He almost licked the soft white skin if Jounouchi hadn't elbowed him away abruptly and made him concentrate on the road.

Jounouchi picked up the ring and stared at the hieroglyphics engraved on the silver.

"What's written on it?"

"Ancient Egyptian Language. I somehow 'mastered' it during Battle City and it has been stuck in my head forever. But I'm digressing. The words on your ring means…" Kaiba paused, "'I love you because I love the passionate, intense desire we invoke in each other'...that's from the bottom of my heart."

"Then your ring?" Jounouchi's eyes crept down to Kaiba's left hand.

On Kaiba's slender left hand, on the third finger, was a similar silver band.

Kaiba turned away from the road to look at Jounouchi in the eye. "I'm wearing my ring now, you can wear yours on the chain for now, until you decide you can be mine."

"The words, are they the same?"

"No."

"Then what do they mean? You can't possibly know why I love you." Jounouchi pressed.

"Curiosity kills the puppy, mutt and I'm not telling you until you wear that ring on your finger." Kaiba smirked, enjoying the annoyed look on his puppy's face. "And I know why you love me, even if you never say them."

"Egoistic, Seto, you think you know me."

"I don't think. I do." Kaiba answered, smirking.

* * *

Jounouchi wrinkled his nose at the lavender scented room. It was a fairly comfortable reception area. Carpeted with white velvet, ginger lights above on the ceiling, giving the room a feeling of cosiness, reminding him of high-classed masseur lounges.

But not cosy enough for Jounouchi to feel comfortable. The place gave him creeps and he had not even a single idea where he was. Kaiba had dragged him into the small clinic in a tall building near Kaiba Corp before he could read the name of the place.

"Katsuya, let's go in."

Jounouchi turned his attention back to his boyfriend, who had just returned from the reception table.

"Go in? Go in what, where?" Jounouchi asked, standing up from the blue couch he had been sitting on.

One question was answered once he stood up. The name of the place, blocked from his view when he was sitting— _Amour Clinic._

A clinic?

This place which looked almost like a luxurious love hotel?

But it was a clinic, and now that the mindset was set, the waiting couches in the room, the few doors down the aisle at a corner of the room and every other information in the room screamed that it was a clinic. Minus the bitter medicine smell, distasteful tang of antiseptics and drugs, but obviously still a clinic.

But the million-dollar question that rang in Jounouchi's mind was still –

Why were they here?

Kaiba hated hospitals and clinics, this he learnt from Kaiba's previous visit to Kaiba Medical Centre. And if Kaiba was sick and dying from some illness, they would be standing at Kaiba Medical Centre under the care of a particular General Practitioner who almost unscrewed his head the night when they stole back to the hospital, instead of the unknown clinic Kaiba had dragged him to now.

Ignoring his question, Kaiba simply placed an arm over his shoulder and guided him to a door in the clinic.

"Seto…" Jounouchi whined hesitantly as he was led through the door into another cosy little room where a familiar mop of hair stood.

Brown hair, stuck up in bunches like a Digimon reject.

"Katsuya, this is-"

"VARON!" Jounouchi screeched before Kaiba could finish his sentence.

"VARON!" Jounouchi's screech came as no surprise as Kaiba slipped onto the couch, pulling his stunned puppy down beside him as he did so.

This, was a show not to be missed.

"Varon, why are you here!" His puppy stuttered.

Slight amused and confused aqua blue eyes turned on him.

"Seto, you didn't tell him?" Varon demanded.

On the word 'Seto', Kaiba noted that Jounouchi jumped a few inches off the ground. Good, finally, his puppy was showing some jealousy.

"Relax, puppy." Kaiba smirked, "I'm sure you know who Varon is. He's our sex therapist."

"Our WHAT?"

"Sex therapist, pup." Kaiba repeated. "A licensed, qualified health professional that goes ahead and help people who have sexual problems, either in their relationship with their partner or sexual problems that are interfering with their life in such a way that it's creating uncomfortable and serious problems."

"But VARON? Is he even a high school graduate?"

Kaiba raised a brow. Well, at least Jounouchi was too busy dealing with the idea of Varon being a sex therapist, than to the mild insult of them being in the office of a sex therapist.

"He is a professional, pup. I had Honda check him out."

"Yeah." Varon gave a professional smile, though Kaiba could tell that the brown haired American was close to throttling his puppy due to the last comment on his credentials. The only thing stopping them from being mangled up in a fist fight currently was their thrill at seeing each other again. "If you could become a veterinarian, Katsuya, I don't see why I can't become a therapist."

"But in America, you were working under Dartz, and you were in jail for killing some guy who burnt up your church…"

"I didn't kill anyone." Varon corrected, "I beat them to pulp and was unreasonably locked up in an adult prison during my teen years. And Dartz sponsored me through night schools and University."

The look on Jounouchi's face was definitely of stunned, but the amazement and delight was present. No doubt his puppy was only too happy to see Varon.

And no wonder Jounouchi's private investigator friend had barely took a glimpse at the Varon's news paper advertisement before bursting out in laughter and assuring him that Varon was the most suitable therapist he could find in the entire world.

"If there's someone who wants you and Jounouchi together." Honda had explained, "He's Varon. And if there's someone you can get help from, that's him too."

"And why's that?" Kaiba had been forced to ask, seeing no associations between his puppy's relationship with Varon other than both being duellists and opponents.

Honda had simply replied "Mai." before turning him away.

Kujaku Mai.

He hadn't understood what Honda had meant previously, but now as Varon and Jounouchi's conversation drifted off to Harpy…

"How's Harpy?"

"Happy kid, confident and pretty like Mai." Jounouchi answered, "You should go see her more often. Harpy needs a dad…"

Varon's face fell completely.

"Mai doesn't think it that way…."

* * *

Kisara had almost counted every single crack and paint peelings on the ceiling of their school's play room when Harpy came to join her on the top of the play gym's fort. Their full-dress rehearsal was over, successful and with not a teensy weensy bit of confusion. But Seth and Jono were called back to do some more rehearsals on their sword fighting, because some nosey teacher, their music teacher particularly, had popped in and said they were handling the swords all wrong.

"Hey Kisara." Harpy greeted and propped down beside her.

"Harpy." Kisara returned a grin, then continued pouting unhappily, "It's so silly that Jono and Seth still have to rehearsal their sword fighting scene again."

"Yep." Harpy nodded, "I thought they were doing pretty good during the rehearsal."

"I thought so too." Kisara nodded, "Seth and Jono's grandfather taught them both to fence, and I thought he was really good, not like that amateur teacher."

"Amateur?" Harpy burst into a grin, "Mommy tells me that your father used to call Seth and Jono's daddy an amateur duellist."

"Really?" Kisara perked up. This little information was new, though not surprising. Uncle Mokuba said her daddy and Uncle Jounouchi used to be at each other's throat everyday, "Do you know any more about them?"

"Mommy tells me a lot about Seth and Jono's daddy, but she seldom talks about your father. She only says that he's very rich." Harpy paused, grinning, "And very stuck-up."

That comment made Kisara giggle. Not everyone dared to call her daddy 'stuck-up', especially in front of her. The only other person who dared to openly affront her daddy been Sister Rebecca.

"Mommy says Seth and Jono's daddy and your father could not stand within three metres of each other without bickering. And they never ever talked, only argued. Well, actually your father always rebuked daddy –"

Daddy? Did Harpy say the word daddy? Uncle Jounouchi is her daddy?

"Harpy!" Kisara almost screamed, "Did you just call Uncle Jounouchi daddy?"

"Well, I did actually." Harpy admitted, "But don't worry, Seth and Jono's daddy is just my em, god-father. But I've been calling him daddy since I can remember. That is until your daddy got together with Seth and Jono's daddy. Mommy told me to stop calling him daddy or your daddy will get jealous. For a while I thought that was petty of your daddy and I couldn't get use to calling daddy Uncle Jounouchi. It's so weird to call daddy Uncle Jounouchi, even now."

At the mere speaking of Seth and Jono's daddy as 'uncle Jounouchi', the pretty blonde stuck a tongue out in mild aversion.

Absorbing the bits of information, Kisara found herself wondering another question. A question that had previously been on her mind.

"Harpy, why does your mommy know so much about Uncle Jounouchi?"

Harpy looked surprise, "Why not? Seth and Jono's daddy and my mommy are very close. Mommy says he was with her all the way when I was born, and dadd- Uncle Jounouchi has always been taking care of us since I remember."

"Then do you know who your real daddy is?" Kisara asked innocently.

"Of course I know who my real daddy is! Not like I was born out of a rock!" Harpy shot back.

"Who's he?"

Harpy shrugged, "I don't know his name. But Mommy brings me to see him every now and then."

"He lives in Domino City too?"

"I think he lives at the zoo, because we always meet and spend half the day there. Then he will bring us to fun lands and carnivals."

Kisara frowned.

_Lived at the zoo!_

"How does he look like?" Kisara prompted.

Harpy looked thoughtful for a moment. "Brown hair, large blue eyes, not very tall. Mommy says I don't look like him at all. I look like Mommy. But he's very like dadd- Uncle Jounouchi, not in looks, but the way they feel…. they just feel similar."

"Harpy?"

"Hm?"

"Do you still dislike my daddy?"

"Not really anymore. Seth and Jono like him." Harpy answered, "Why?"

"Coz I think your mommy and my daddy are really alike."

Harpy looked thoughtful for a few moments, "Yeah I guess so. We are quite alike too, in some ways."

Kisara grinned, an ingenious idea coming to her mind, "Hey Harpy, wanna help me?"

A curious nod. Grinning, Kisara leaned over and whispered her 'evil' plans to a grinning and amused Harpy.

* * *

"Mai doesn't think it that way…."

"That was a stupid mistake you made, just get it over with and get back to Mai's good side, will ya?" Jounouchi snorted. "For both you and Harpy's sake, besides, it's not as if Mai's still mad for so long, she's just waiting for you to –"

Kaiba found himself interrupting abruptly, finally understanding half of the situation from the two men's conversation, "Harpy is-"

"Varon's daughter." Jounouchi finished. "Honda didn't tell you this did he? Mai only told me, and of course, Varon."

"Alright, enough already!" Varon cut in brusquely. "I'm here to help you with your problems. Not let the two of you solve my problems."

"Our problems?" Jounouchi asked blankly, seemingly to have forgotten where he was standing in.

"Katsuya, Varon is OUR sex therapist." Kaiba put it in slowly, knowing that the news was going to hit his lover pretty hard this round.

"I'm sorry, my hearing must have been worst than I thought. Did I keep hearing you say OUR sex therapist?"

"Yes, Katsuya." Kaiba and Varon patiently concurred at the same time.

"Enlighten me, Seto." Jounouchi looked at him open-mouthed. "Why do we need a sex therapist?"

"Because…" Kaiba paused and swallowed hard. The first answer that had leaped to his mind was an unjustifiable one on sex, which predictably, would earn him nothing but being labelled as a sex-deprived homosexual. "Because, we agreed that we had problems and a sex therapist will help us with them."

The answer obviously didn't comfort his puppy. Jounouchi looked as if Kaiba had just dumped him into a dog pound.

"Katsuya." Varon interrupted. "A sex therapist is not restricted only to sex counselling. Marriage and relationship counselling is also part of what we do. That's why I'm here to help the two of you."

"Alright, fine." Jounouchi finally said. "Let's try this therapy thingie then."

"Good!" Varon said happily, with such sense of accomplishment Kaiba almost found it hilarious.

"Seto, would you mind leaving the room for a moment. They are some helpful books and a coffee machine in the next room. You can go and make yourself comfortable there while I speak with Katsuya first." Varon informed.

Before Kaiba could answer, Jounouchi interrupted, "If you are thinking of punching the lights out of me once Kaiba is gone-"

"Great temptation there, Jou. I'll love to settle the score between us on Mai now." Varon answered, grinning widely, a grin that Kaiba could not identify as a serious or joking expression.

"That will have to wait. Be professional, Varon." He warned before the two could jump out of their respective seats and start their long awaited brawls.

That helped lighten the atmosphere as he watched Jounouchi and Varon pounce on to one another and gave each other a big, chuckling, warm, long-time-no-see bear-hug,

Shaking his head in disbelief, he left the room for the two to talk about old days and whatever therapy they were supposed to be having.

* * *

"…are three basic components to love, that is passion, intimacy and commitment-"

"Sternberg's Triangular Model of Love." Kaiba cut in as Varon and Jounouchi raised their brows at him.

"You've been studying." Varon commented lightly.

Kaiba gave a brief nod of acknowledgement, choosing not to disclose the fact that he had spent the whole of the last night and the prior fifty minutes in the room next door reading up on the subject.

Varon looked at the confused look on Jounouchi's face, before continuing the subject. "Psychologist Robert Sternberg's Triangular Model of Love. Intimacy refers to the close bond and feeling of attachment between two people, including their desire to share their innermost thoughts and feelings. Passion, here, refers to an intense sexual desire for the other person. Commitment is the recognition that one loves the other person and is committed to maintaining the relationships through good times and bad.

"Different combinations of the 3 basic components result in different types of love. I shall not go deep into the different types but concentrate on the two different types of love you two hold for each other."

"Different types of love?" Jounouchi echoed.

"It is a small conclusion from my prior conversation and tests with the two of you separately. We will start with Jou. Jou, you lack the passion in this relationship with Kaiba. This lack of passion could be a mild case of Sexual Aversion Disorder, a type of sexual desire disorder involving repulsion or strong aversion to genital sexual contact. There are of course, therapies and ways to overcome the disorder which the two of you can work out together."

Kaiba watched as Jounouchi bit down on his lips.

"Kaiba, your kind of love, is what we call fatuous love or foolish love. Your tests and behaviour around Jou suggests that you are not so open or uncomfortable to sharing your thoughts and feelings to Jou unless it is indispensable. In other words, you are short of intimacy. BUT, you are burning with passion and commitment, which are usually associated with whirlwind romances and 'quicky marriage', which explains, partially, Jou's lower sense of commitment in the relationship. Your intense passion and commitment brings about the fear that this relationship might be a one-shot and the end game. The lowered sense of commitment also leads to Jou's lack of passion…."

"Alright. Whatever the lack of what." Jounouchi interrupted. "What should we be doing now?"

"Good Jou!" Varon praised. "You are already working on it! Your last sentence proposes increased commitment in the relationship."

That earned him a scowl from the couple.

"Alright, fine. You should be trying to attain consummate love, a type of love that combines all three components. It is not easy to attain, and more difficult to maintain. But, on the first part of attaining. Here are some therapies you can consider, such as the Senate-Focus Exercises. In this exercise, you massage non-genital areas of the body while relaxing in the nude…"

* * *

"Seto, one moment." Varon called out as Kaiba pushed the clinic door open. "Just you."

Kaiba paused and turned to Jounouchi. "I'll meet you in the car."

Jounouchi nodded and left briefly.

"Some things I want to remind you that I didn't say just now. That is, try to be not too domineering with Jou in bed. This is not from the therapy but rather because I've had the honour of having a duel with him, and a couple of times hanging around together after that. But Jounouchi is basically a domineering person too by nature. Your domineering nature naturally shadows his, so much that you probably don't see it yourself that he also likes to be dominant in relationships."

Kaiba nodded slowly, acknowledging what Varon was saying.

"Next is on touching. Jou, is a person who immensely enjoy touching. He learns and feels the world through touching. He fought a lot in junior high-"

"I know about that, "Kaiba interrupted, "He was some sort of a street fighter in those years. Varon, I have one question."

"Shoot."

"From your observation, how long would it take before I can really bed Katsuya?"

Varon shrugged. "Depends on how it goes, one or two weeks, or maybe four or five? Whatever the case, I have just one word of advice for you. Patience."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

"Let Jou initiate that he want the exercise."

Kaiba seriously doubted the exercise would take place anytime in the century. Varon's estimation was as lousy as the weather forecast.

"And, I'd say that usually one session is seldom enough but I hope it at least alleviate the problems between your two, so come back to me if you still have problems, or give me a friendly call if you succeed."

"I will." Kaiba lied, heading for the door. Should the problem be solved, his sex life was none of Varon's business.

At the door, he paused and turned around and stared at Varon who was still standing there watching him leave.

Perhaps Varon could take a little advice on his own side too.

"By the way, the kids' school are staging a drama today. Mai and Harpy are there helping out. Show up if you have nothing on later. I left a ticket with the consultation fees in the other room, beside the coffee machine."

Kaiba smiled as he left, knowing that he and Jou wasn't going to be the other ones with a nagging problem.

* * *

"Just when did you look for Honda?"

"The day after I was discharged from Kaiba Medical Centre. I gave him Varon's newspaper ad and had him to investigate on Varon. He took one look and said that Varon was the therapist for you."

Reminder, strangle Honda with the private investigator's own trench coat the next time they meet. "And what were you doing with Honda?"

"Well, pup, who was just reminding me about making your squad of friends mine the other day? I believe it's called socializing."

"Hmf." Jounouchi merely grunted.

"What happened between Mai and Varon?" Kaiba asked testily. If Varon was really Harpy's father and was keen to go after Mai again, Varon was going to be a good comrade in love and war.

"Long story." Jounouchi answered, not seemingly to realize his motive behind the question.

"It's a long way to the school." Kaiba pressed.

Jounouchi looked thoughtful for a few moments, and then sighed, "Some time during my university years, Varon and Mai got together. Not exactly dating but they were just fooling around. At least Varon was serious about Mai, for a long time already, while Mai was still reeling between him, and well, me."

"Go on."

"Then Mai got pregnant. Varon's kid."

"And how would you know that?"

A glare from Jounouchi shut him up.

"Because, the timing didn't fit." Jounouchi hissed.

"Then why isn't Mai and Varon together now?"

Jounouchi sighed, "Because Varon did a really stupid thing. When Mai told him that she was carrying their daughter, he asked the most incredibly stupid question."

That was an easy one to guess. "He asked if Harpy was his."

Jounouchi nodded, "Yup, Mai got so mad she went away and brought the kid up herself. I helped, a bit. And after Seth and Jono came, we just helped each other to take care of the kids."

"How convenient. Your helping includes bedding her?" Kaiba snorted, "I'm surprised Varon hasn't strangled you in that clinic."

"Humans have needs, alright?" Jounouchi retorted. "Speak for you your brother!"

Kaiba shook his head, "He probably picked it up from you."

"Did not!"

"We'll leave that argument for later."

"Why did you look for a sex therapist?" Jounouchi asked abruptly, refusing to look at him.

"Are you upset over the fact that I got us a sex therapist and that I didn't inform and consult you before getting one?"

"No, I'm in fact quite happy." Jounouchi answered.

"The cold treatment I'm getting tells me otherwise."

"Domineering, Kaiba, not only in bed, but in every aspect of our lives. Did our sex therapist knock that into your head?"

"The session was helpful."

Jounouchi raised a brow, "We'll see, Seto."

* * *

"Children, five more minutes to the opening of the show." Miss Yamato announced.

A nervous Seth turned to Jono, who was shifting from feet to feet and staring out through a small opening of the curtain at the audiences.

So many many many many people.

It was almost enough to give both Tasmanian Devils nervous breakdowns.

"Remember." Seth reminded, biting his lips fretfully, "Meet me at the backstage boys' changing room right after the fighting scene. We have only two minutes to change into each other's costumes."

"Yeah I got that." Jono nodded, wishing that he didn't have the role of the White Dragon Prince all over again. Being the Black Dragon was so much nicer! Less scenes, less scripts and less attention. Seth was so lucky to be appearing a few scenes after him. But well, compared to Kisara, they were very much luckier. Kisara appeared almost all the scenes and had the most things to memorise.

"Nervous?" Harpy teased, having stolen into the backstage with her mommy.

"No." Jono lied.

"Really?" Harpy smirked, "Your legs are shaking."

"Am not. Stop making fun of me."

"She makes fun of you because she likes you." Kisara piped, having just joined the twins. A few hours with Harpy discussing her plans had made them best friends and almost sisters who knew each other's most private secrets.

"Kisara you promised not to tell-" Harpy almost screeched before cupping her mouth in embarrassment and scampering off quickly, "I'm going to help Mommy."

"One minute. Everyone quiet and get into positions now." Miss Yamato announced and pulled Kisara to her position on the stage.

Momentarily rescued, a furiously blushing Jono turned to see his brother smiling in amusement.

"What's so funny?" Jono snorted.

"You like Harpy." Seth answered, his nerviness momentarily forgotten as he watched his brother.

"I don't."

"You do."

"I don't!"

"You do." Seth pressed, "And I like Kisara."

"Really?" Jono's eyes bugged out.

"She's –"

"Seth, Jono. No talking now." Their teacher silenced as she led them to the inner backstage, "The show is starting. Now stand behind the curtain so no one sees the both of you."

* * *

The voices of Seth and Jono were muffled behind the heavy red curtains separating the front stage from the back stage. An anxious Harpy stood shifting foot to foot behind the curtains waiting for her little victim.

"Evil sorcerer! Leave our peaceful land!" Jono's strong voice echoed about the back stage as Harpy ran Kisara's plan through her mind again.

"Never!"

The plan was to grab Seth after the current scene, which was right after the Black Dragon Prince had destroyed the evil sorcerer, and the White Dragon Prince was dying after being injured deeply by the sorcerer. But planning was easier than done. There were so many teachers and students scrambling all over the backstage Harpy doubted she could even lay her hands on Seth.

Stifled 'Clings' and 'clangs'. That meant that the White Dragon Prince was fighting with the evil sorcerer. It was going to be just a few minutes before she carried out Kisara's plan.

A muffled cry. White Dragon must have been defeated and dying

"Hahaha! I shall be the Lord of the lands and all shall submit to me! You've done well, my apprentice."

"I'm no longer yours!" Seth's clear strong voice was followed by a loud cry by the evil sorcerer, who was slain by the Black Dragon Prince.

It had to be any moment now.

Flapping sounds of the curtains drawing close and then shuffling footsteps all over the stage while a narrator spoke out loud in front.

"The evil sorcerer was defeated. But the White Dragon was deeply injured from the fight. All…"

"And all people grieved and wondered how to save him…yadda nadda." Harpy whispered behind the stage. She had read the story of Dragon Lake from the Duel Monster Dragons Tales so many times she could recite the story from back to front. But that wasn't the most important thing now.

Seth. She had to look for Seth.

Red masked, cloaked in black, a blonde wonder scrambled past her in the direction of the changing room.

"Seth!"

* * *

Waiting was not fun. Especially when the person he was waiting for was someone who could change the entire history of his life.

Where was Seth!?

The two minutes interval was almost over and his brother had yet to appear. Jono was sure he had seen Seth scampering off the stage from the other end and headed for the boys' changing room where they had promised to meet. But now, there wasn't even a single soul in the cubicle.

Foot steps.

Jono perked up.

"Jono!" Miss Yamato's voice rang out loud and clear, "Are you in there? The show is starting now!"

Was there really no other choice? Jono sighed, annoyed and defeated. Just where was his brother when he needed him?

"Here." He mumbled.

"The show's starting already and you two brothers are giving me a heart attack." A strong hand half dragged him off towards the stage to face his unavoidable fate.

* * *

A grinning Kisara dragged a very miserable Seth across the back stage to the front stage curtains.

"Jono is already lying in there. You have to go in now!"

"No, I can't go in like this!" An utmost unhappy Seth refused. Just how did he get conned into this? Well, he had always been too soft-hearted and too agreeable towards Kisara… Jono was so going to kill him afterwards.

"You have to!" Kisara pressed, "Hurry, the curtain is opening soon. Just stop fretting! No one really can see us clearly from below the stage."

With an annoyed grunt, Seth found himself pushed stumbling out onto the stage just as the curtains drew open.

He was so going to get back to Kisara afterwards… or well, he might not, but he would make sure Kisara explain the whole thing afterwards to their teachers. But that was afterwards too, for now, there was the play….

* * *

Jono bided his time as he laid closed-eyes on the bed of flowers where he was waiting to be revived by the Holy Elf.

"Oh my prince! My sweet love! Please don't die!" The Holy Elf Princess started, kneeling and weeping beside the fallen White Prince.

Yadda Nada. Jono could mouthed the words himself, having heard it more than a thousand times. Annoyance and slight anger was building up in him as he silently fumed over and blamed his twin brother for betraying him and putting him in the current spot.

If their plan had worked out- if Seth had not gone missing at the last minute, he would right now be dressed valiantly as his favourite Red Eyes Black Dragon and announcing how the Holy Elf could save the White Dragon-

"Do not weep, beloved princess of the elves. There is still a way you can save the White Dragon Prince!" The Red Eyes Black Dragon announced, his voice loud and clear.

And sharp and high-pitched.

Jono felt his whole body stiffen at the voice.

That voice was too high to be Seth's! That was-

"Oh, what way may it be that I can save my prince?" The Holy Elf beside him croaked.

Now that Jono was paying attention to the show, Holy Elf sounded like she had a frog in her throat.

And that was bad.

"A kiss! A kiss!" The Red Eyes Black Dragon announced triumphantly.

Too triumphantly, too high-pitched, too excitably to be Seth.

That voice, that unmistakable VOICE!

Kisara! She who was supposed to be the Holy Elf!

"A kiss… Then… I …. Shall..." The Holy Elf beside him seemed to croak reluctantly.

The whole hall was quiet; everyone was waiting for the Holy Elf to finish her sentence.

And Jono was resisting the total temptation to open his eyes and see for himself what was happening. But Miss Yamato had told him so strictly he should not, cannot, must not, open his eyes until he was kissed.

But kissed by-

"I shall kiss him." The Holy Elf finally said with a low heave, audible only to Jono as a sign of resignation.

Without opening his eyes, Jono could feel warmth emitting towards him, their lips had yet to touch - as if the holy elf was hesitant about kissing him.

Heart pounding and his body taut and pressed back as much as he could, Jono peeked through a half-opened eyelid and-

"Hoi! Kiss him already!"

What? Before Jono could figure out what was happening, his lips were plastered with the other pair of lips on top of his.

His two eyes snapped wide opened to see his mirror's large eyes starring back at his in shock- and above them, a smiling Kisara in Red Eyes Black Dragon costume stood beside them, with one hand pressed on Seth's head.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Taking in a deep breathe, his eyes watering at the same time, Jono screamed and pushed his twin brother off, but not before taking in the long golden wig and painted lips on his brother's face.

Harpy! Harpy had something to do with this too! Harpy was the only who could get her hands on a wig and help Seth to wear lipsticks nicely!

A similar scream from Seth echoed his as the other victim went yucking away frantically.

Then it became a screaming competition as some of their classmates started shrieking at how the show was not complete and had to go on while others shouted that it couldn't go on like this. And the more easily-frightened kids burst out into tears. And somewhere in the audience, some baby brought along by a mother was bawling his head away, having been scared out of his naps by the screams.

Eyes watering, Jono wasn't sure he really wanted to cry on stage with so many audiences, but taking a quick peek at the audiences told him that most of them weren't paying much attention either. The audience was in a mess as worried parents hurriedly pushed each other out of the way to get to their wailing kids.

Blinking his tears away, Jono glanced around for his twin brother, only to see his identical twin dash into the backstage in tears.

"Seth!" A voice called out for his brother's name and it took a second before Jono realized that it was his own voice. But Seth was gone.

"I think I did something very very very very very wrong." Another very guilty voice rang up beside him, and this time it wasn't his but a visibly upset Kisara's standing behind him.

"Daddy and Uncle Kaiba are going to be soooooooo mad." Jono sighed as he and Kisara turned towards the stage to see two not-too-happy fathers.

* * *

Two hours later, the party of five sat at Kaiba's kitchen table. Somehow, they had wound up all at Kaiba's house after the ruined play and the idea of sleeping over was currently in Seth, Jono and Kisara's heads.

Exhausted and exhilarated from the aftermath of the ruined play, which included spending a full hour convincing one of his very upset son out of the toilet cubicle, running around from the school to the city to find a shop that was still operating to purchase mouth rinse for his other son, and listening to Kaiba reprimand Kisara.

The kids had eventually made up and forgave each other for the incident, if not forgotten completely about it by then.

Now, as his eyelids drooped over, Jounouchi just wanted to bath, snuggle into any bed and drift off to la la land.

"Master Seto, shall I prepare rooms for your guests-" The butler's voice was cut short by Kisara's sharp voice.

"Daddy! Can Seth, Jono and I stay up all night? Remember you got me Monopoly-Battle City the other day, we can play all night!"

Jounouchi watched sleepily as Kaiba referred to the large grandfather clock in the living room. It was already around 10pm, almost near the children's supposed bed time, and the three children had yet to bathe and change out of their costumes yet, less say prepare for bed.

"We will decide that after the three of you shower." His lover answered as he directed the three children to the second storey.

"Daddy, we don't have clothes here." Seth tugged at his pants.

"You can wear my clothes!" Kisara shouted.

Seth looked absolutely embarrassed, and Jounouchi knew his shy sons well enough to know they would never wear a girl's clothes, even if Kisara's clothes were new and unisex.

"Oh, no." Jono gasped. "Grandpas and Grandmas are all not home tonight. Joey and Yami are going to be alone at home, Joey is going to be so sad."

"Uh huh." Jounouchi answered sleepily, recalling that his parents were at Shizuka's for the week.

"Daddy, please?" Jono and Seth tugged at his shirt, pleadingly. "Don't leave Joey at home. Can we go home and fetch him? Then, we can all play together!"

"Oh cool!" Kisara shouted, visibly delighted as she bounced around the room hypered, with her eyes twinkling. "Daddy, can we get Joey here? It will be so cool and fun to have a dog to play with!"

"Uh huh." Jounouchi grunted reluctantly. His only wish at the moment was to flop down into a warm bed and sleep till sunset the next day.

"Please!" Kisara, Seth and Jono's pleas echoed in his ears.

"Alright, alright. I'll drive back and get your clothes and Joey. Seth and Jono go bath first, I'll be back in a jiffy with your clothes." Jounouchi finally said, barely suppressing a tired yawn. Varon's tests and tricky conversation with him earlier the day had killed hundreds of brain cells and whatever that constituted energy in his body.

The three kids cheered and stampeded out of sight down the corridor.

Jounouchi was about to go down the stairs when his lover grabbed him around in the waist from behind. "You sure you want to go home? You look exhausted."

Jounouchi allowed himself to enjoy the warmth of his brunette lover for a moment before pulling away and moving down the stairs. "Yeah. Joey and Yami hadn't have dinner yet, and I don't think the kids want to wear Kisara's clothes."

"I'll drive you there." Kaiba offered.

Jounouchi shrugged.

"Fine."

* * *

With Joey curled up at his feet and Yami snoozing on his lap, Kaiba watched absently as the newscaster droned on about the latest stocks market. His blonde lover was taking millenniums to take a shower- so long he suspected his puppy had drowned- while he had fed both the pets, managed to find clothes for the twins and dumped them into Jounouchi's car boot.

Scratching the back of Yami's soft ears, Kaiba's thoughts wandered off again as he lay on Jounouchi's bed. He seemed to be practising the habit very frequently recently – letting his mind wander and sometimes even allowing his imaginations and fantasies run wild. Not that the habit wasn't good. Creativity came from daring to imagine, and much of his work depended on his ingenuity. But in recent months, his imaginations haven't been boosting much of his inspiration in work. In fact, far from it. Those imaginations and fantasies revolved around, involved explicitly and usually concentrated on Jounouchi.

Tonight seemed like a night when fantasies just might come to life, the moon was high and round and it seemed a good quiet night where Varon's advices could be used. After all, Seto Kaiba wasn't a person who did idle talking and thinking. He puts words and thoughts into actions.

Yami flicked an ear and glanced up from Kaiba's ear massage as the bathroom door behind opened and the sweet scent of vanilla flooded the room.

"You smell good." Kaiba complimented as he took his mind off whatever moon and water does.

Jounouchi looked better than he smelled nice.

Vanilla scented, towelled-dry, frizzled hair, wearing only a pair of loose slacks, dry fair lean skin.

His blonde lover gave a small tired smile at the compliment and climbed onto the bed, shooing the pets away.

Kaiba was almost startled as his lover suddenly lay down on the bed and rested his head on his lap, his eyes closed.

"Pat me, Seto." Jounouchi's soft voice came from his lap.

"Like this?" Kaiba asked uncertainly as he reached down to pat Jounouchi on the head hesitantly. He couldn't recall a time when anyone has laid on his lap before. It wasn't uncomfortable, but an unfamiliar yet warm feeling.

Smooth, soft, hair that was still cool and slightly wet to the touch.

No reply, but Jounouchi seemed to relax at his hair running through his hair.

Rather, Jounouchi could have fallen asleep, not that he minded currently, Kaiba thought as he twirled another short lock of his lover's blonde hair with a finger. He could sit there all night with Jounouchi on his lap.

"So, I guess we're not going back to my place?"

Eyes still closed, Jounouchi curled closer to Kaiba. "I can do with a night without two Tasmanian devils."

"True." Kaiba nodded, running his fingers through his lover's soft hair, "The three of them would probably be happier without their daddies supervising and making them go to bed."

"Mphh… that feels really nice."

Dropping the lock of hair, Kaiba moved his hair to Jounouchi's face and started tracing Jounouchi's features.

The shut eyelids, with its long eyelashes, the red, warm lips…

A warm hand caught his wrist as he stroke Jounouchi's lips, while the lips rose to meet his.

Kaiba allowed himself to fall onto the bed as Jounouchi pushed him back against the bed, until Jounouchi was sitting atop his stomach and running a wet warm tongue down his face.

"You really are a puppy, Katsuya."

"Yup. A puppy's job is to sleep, get pats on the head and to lick his owner's nose when the puppy's happy."

"Looks like Kisara's wish for a puppy is coming true."

"I may even let you bath me if I'm your pet."

"Mn-"

Warm, insistent kisses.

Swift fingers undoing his shirt buttons expertly.

Warm tongue exploring his own unrelentingly.

Fingers tugging at his belt, trying to remove it.

Jounouchi's mouth covering his own, kissing away ferociously, without seeming a need for air or rest.

Kaiba was almost gasping for air.

Breaking away for air, Kaiba took the chance to grab his lover and roll over- only to hear Jounouchi grimacing as they flipped.

"Darn!" Jounouchi cursed through clenched teeth as Kaiba climbed off and stared blankly at his lover, unsure of what was happening.

"Pup?"

"My back"

"Your back?" Kaiba frowned.

"Sprained it this morning carrying the Saint Bernard and Seth…"

So much for putting words and thoughts into actions, Kaiba cursed silently. He watched as Jounouchi flipped over stiffly and rubbed his sore back awkwardly.

Sighing, he crawled over and started massaging Jounouchi's back.

"…less force…" Jounouchi mumbled as he rubbed in.

"Hm."

"Seto."

"Hm?"

"We'll sleep together on your birthday. It's coming right?"

"Not for another two months, Katsuya."

"Mnn… Well then. Happy waiting."

"Urg…"

_To Be Continued…_

* * *

**Authors' Comments:**

1) Senate-Focus Exercises: A technique used in sex therapy consisting of non-genital massage to lessen anxiety associated with sexual interactions.

2) Varon finally appeared. And now we all know who Harpy's father is. Here, we are taking Varon's age to be same as Mai's and Kaiba has never met Varon during Doom(Doma) series. Nevertheless, having done some investigation (through Honda Private Investigation Ltd) on Varon, Kaiba is still aware of Varon's part in the Doma Series and his duel with Jounouchi.

3) To Dragna Vey and Magus101. We've not read "Sakende Yaruze!" by Takaguchi Satosumi or "Vanilla" by Marier Aria. But we did some homework and found that "Sakende Yaruze!" is a shonen-ai manga. We'll take note of it if we come across it. On "Vanilla", we'll read it after finishing this fic so as to not accidentally 'steal' the ideas. Thanks for the recommendations.

4) Our gratitude to

TombRaider15, Kumori Sakusha, kate, Egypts, Raven Deathstar aka Firey Kitty, Yami Sango, Elusia, fanficlunatic234, Hoody Ha, Lady Geuna, kokoro, asa-chan, dragon's lair, Meesha, Kai's girl-44, natasha, Meta-Moon, joey baby, FREAK014, himitsu-chan, Miroku Kirara, CrossHunter, BarbedWire23, ArrowSphere, Jaded Katrina, youko-moon, daina, Manga Ryu-Ran, gurechi, Marry03, Hakuryu08, Pegasusmon, Animefighter6, K.M.A, ArticaMarsial, Konniwa, Sly Kitsune, silverKitty2525, Macbeth's Mistress aka Macduff's Mistress, Dragna Vey, sapphire-wolf1, Johnny-Depp-Luv, Slate Grey, Abyssinian Rose, Midnight Ember, fiby, Cat, Faia Ookami, Jenniyah, Vluko1, IBK, lil-Jenny, Hideki LaShae, Tyrone I.G. Shawver, AnimeRuby, ColeyCarissa, lilworros, Lil'wystynyra, Shadowy Fluffball, Shinigami, Kakarots-Frying-Pan, Magus 101, kaibajoey1, Ceth, vapidbreath, Nuin, swtdreams07, Zelda-Jewel, Lady-Silverkiss, The Fae Fanfiction Hunter, Amy Hirosaki, Ami of Destiny, C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity, KandKL, Arfy, Web-of-Knots, LuCiFeR, Kinuko, Alli Hearts, Jas, Lil Nezumi, Assassin of the Shadows, Ruby, Chikyu 4444, Julianna, kagome-princess aka Mizu, markyc58, FireieGurl, frech, oneontainternet, Kourime Miko Miyao, Lucifer aka Angel, FitsofRage, Morghann, yolei, sweeetangel, tyyytytyty, Queen of the Paperclips, Ohime-Yukigi, The La/er aka QianYun , crazy one, BabyTraci, SelenaWheeler, CosmicPudding, malik'slover, puffin, eyes0nme19, Soraki, figured shadow, princesssailorme, CrossHunterz, Sir Mocha, crystal-chan, dawn, Lu Ai, SetoXJou Lover, Killian, Falling Night, Jaino and Jaino-baby, Sarasusamiga, Yami Yugi's LP girl, AG the master, A Person, allison lightning, Ahja Reyn, Band-Geek1213, CrossHunt-s, the moon at twilight, Fluffy137, keito-kyokun, ShadowGoddessHikari, Ryoko Crawford, Echo17, Lazy Snake, duenna, Repmet, sunddown205, Clarity2199, Glue Project, Darkini, Slash-Quill A.K.A Sakura Fae, Yami-Jounochi, devonny, peach, Kaze no Namida, bakachan17, G.T., Seraphita Kurai, sailoryaoimoon, bluebird, xiaoj, DarknessOfLife, 1x2 kaijou child and many more who has yet to leave a name!

5) Edited on June15 2005. Minor edit regarding inconsistency error on where Jounouchi's parents were staying for the night.


	19. Chapter 17: AutoFlush

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 17**

* * *

Jounouchi was dreaming.

He was dreaming of a day, the day when Seth and Jono became part of his life forever seven years ago.

The day she suddenly appeared at his apartment doorstep with a bag and a pair of identical babies.

He didn't care what happened to her, why she left, whom the children were, he simply grabbed her and held her.

It had been a year since she left.

He had been waiting for her.

All he wanted was her…

When she answered few questions that he asked, he decided not to press her about her past year. When she stopped him from telling his parents and friends about her return, he decided they needed some time to think about their future.

Time would tell.

The only thing he missed was the fact that they had no time left together, and there was simply no 'they'.

It was two days later.

A word like bliss could not fully describe the contentment he felt and lived in during the two days.

Neither could any word describe the anger and anguish he felt when the bliss was destroyed.

He had been watching the twins take an afternoon nap in the cots he and her had bought together as new parents the night before. She had been laughing, smiling as they picked up all sorts of items for their children. He was sure it was going to last.

Like the sun shining into the warm room.

He didn't hear her leave, he only heard the soft breathing of the children and a bird singing in the distance, as he gently smoothed one of the twins' balled fists. He had reminded himself to name the twins soon. They hadn't decided on the names yet. Every time he suggested a name, she would simply smile.

A cold wind.

Cold enough to make him shudder.

Cold enough to make one of the twins sneeze in his sleep.

The apartment suddenly felt very empty. He couldn't explain it, but a feeling of sadness and loneliness hung in it. And coldness.

Coldness of the wind that blew in through the open door leading to a vacant corridor.

He called out her name.

There was no response.

This time, he knew it was the end.

He had fallen to his knees, the world suddenly seemed distant. All that had happened in the last two days seemed like nothing but an illusion. The apartment was void of her and her belongings. Almost as it she had never been there.

Except, when he was on the verge of crying in anger, the twin's soft whimpering and crying pulled him out of his sorrowful trance.

The sad crying as if they knew they too were abandoned, yet a hopeful whimper within.

He had crawled slowly over to the cots, unsure if they were a figment of his imagination as their mother might have been.

His hand was trembling lightly as he reached over to touch one of them.

They were real.

Soft pale skin, large brown eyes, dark long lashes. His fingers gently traced along the facial features.

He reached to wipe the tears off the first twin with the back of his hand. And as if he knew he would never be abandoned again, the boy stopped crying and simply stared up with trusting eyes. Almost miraculously, as if he also knew, the twin brother stopped crying too, looking up at his face with abandoned wonder.

"Seth." He had finally whispered before he turned to the second twin.

He had then picked up Seth's brother and watched him carefully. He was slightly bigger in built than his brother, his eyes were twinkling, his hands and legs kicked more wildly.

More active, more like him.

"Jono." He named.

In his dream, Jounouchi wondered briefly if his body in the real world was crying. It was in dreams like this that he knew he was dreaming. And he also knew that he was on the verge of waking up soon.

And when he woke up, he would go on with life. And he would probably go jogging, watch Domino City awaken together with the rising sun and then return back home where Seth and Jono would bug him on not asking them to go along.

By then, he knew he was awake, but was just still lying in bed with his eyes closed.

He also knew his eyes felt wet.

Without opening his eyes, he reached to his chest and fingered his ring before enclosing it completely in his fist.

* * *

Kaiba leaned back into his chair as he watched out of the large window panel of the meeting room on the top few stories of Kaiba Corp.

Whatever Mokuba was saying, he had already heard at least twice in another private meeting with him. The main point of the meeting then was henceforth chiefly to inform the board of directors and other important company personals of the company's recent happenings and whatever reports they wanted to hear.

And as the head of director and CEO of the corporation, he was expected to attend the meeting if he wasn't engaged in any other business-related activities. Even when he was in the US, he had done online board meetings to fulfil the demand for his presence. Frankly, a dummy could have done the job as well, if not better.

Still, the constrain for his physical presence did not necessary command the attendance of his mental self. Over the years he had also mastered the artful technique of looking interested when he was indeed spiritually unavailable. It was an important art to use as he matured. As a younger teenager back in high school, he would walk out of any meeting he deemed uninteresting, but as adulthood caught up, such actions could only be considered childlike and irresponsible, unless the meeting was really pissing him off, which more than half usually did.

"…is the last day of the Annual Senior/Junior High Duel Monsters Kaiba Cup. The final battle location has been chosen, in fact, this year, we will hold it here at the 20th floor hall…"

Kaiba could almost smile at the idea of duelling. It had been a while since he last really picked up a set of cards and duelled. Things had very much gone online since Battle City and the Grand Prix. Nevertheless, battling online, as convenient as it was, was never as enjoyable as playing with cards. A real card game was much more exciting. The feel of the cards, the smell of competition in the air, watching the expressions and little actions of the opponent, those were the interesting parts.

Which was why he had not rejected Mokuba's idea five years ago of an annual three day small-scale battle-city-like duelling competition to be held in Domino City. It was much similar to Battle City, with the final duel held at a secret location which the duellists had to find out.

Of course, the battle was but nothing compared to the legendary Battle City held more than ten years ago. Nonetheless, it was one of the best and well-participated events Domino City held annually. Almost half of Domino City's children within the required age range joined the event.

Marvelling at how high the birds could fly across the skies, he went through the day's plans mentally.

Jounouchi was bringing the twins over to Kaiba Land later in the morning, after picking up Mai and Harpy on the way.

The children, Seth, Jono, Harpy and Kisara had been keen to watch the finale duel, which Mokuba had secretly divulged that it was to be held at Kaiba Land. He had then, grinning, handed over the tickets for the best seats in the audience area.

Then, after the game, the children could probably play the games at Kaiba Land for a while. Kaiba Land had unaccountable activities to entertain them-the Death-T, the numerous arcades for the different age groups, the free Duel Monsters tournament area, the new ice-skating ring…

Finally, to end off the day, Jounouchi had invited him and Kisara over for dinner with his father and his father's wife.

So far, so good. His plans were always flawless.

A bird soaring through the air caught his attention.

Large wings spanning through the air, not flapping yet able to soar through long distance.

His sharp eyesight told him it was an eagle. They were rare in Domino City, yet the one he was watching often appeared near Kaiba Corp, soaring though the wide skies. He had never seen it land; it simply flew out of sight into the sea, as if it was too drawn by freedom to be caught into landing.

Captivating. But disturbing.

It reminded him of Jounouchi. Flying through the sky with absolute carefree and yet still yearning for more freedom, wishing to enjoy all the freedom and solitude the world had.

He hadn't forgotten two weeks back, when Jounouchi had promised him they would sleep together.

The idea was disconcerting when he though deep into it- that they had to fix a date for sex. It was completely un-spontaneous, like Jounouchi was forcing himself to prepare himself by the day.

Kaiba understood why Jounouchi had promised so, and hence chosen to keep quiet for the past two weeks but deep down, it was pitiable. Certainly Jounouchi had felt the same way about such sex after thinking about it for the same two weeks.

Kaiba had no intention of holding Jounouchi to the promise; he would break the news later during some private session.

The eagle disappeared off into the distant skies above the ocean, leaving behind the bright white sky.

It was a perfect day for duelling.

Blue skies, white clouds.

Like the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

He could almost imagine it soaring through that bright lit sky.

And he hoped for one day, the Real Red Eye Black Dragon could be by its side.

* * *

Flush.

"Woah! LOOK at that, Sethy!"

Flush.

"It sure is strong." Seth commented evenly as he watched Jono drop another generous amount of toilet paper into their brand new blue toilet bowl.

Flush.

"Does the water always whirl in that direction?"

Flush.

"Uh." Seth bit down on his lips. "I don't know, Jono."

Flush.

"Maybe if we use a stick or something to whirl the water the other way round, it will go the other direction?"

Flush.

"Yew.'" Seth wrinkled his nose. "I'm not going to stick something down that toilet bowl!"

Flush.

Jono pouted and disposed of another piece of toilet paper, just as the bathroom cum toilet's sliding door slid open abruptly.

The twins gasped and screamed in shock before turning around guiltily to see the intruder.

"Daddy, we could be using the toilet!" Jono was the first to recover.

"And washing your hands with the auto flush?" Their daddy admonished. "I've already told both of you! The auto flush is not for playing."

The twins pouted as they threw the remaining of the toilet paper they held into the toilet bowl.

Flush.

"Now get out of here. I need a bath, I stink." Then their daddy grinned mischievously and lunged at them wildly, "Unless you wanna smell like me!"

"Noooo!" Jono shriek laughingly, expertly dodging his daddy's arms. His daddy was all wet and sour after his weekend morning jogs, that is, if his daddy woke up with time to spare for one.

"Alright, out, both of you. Grandma has your breakfast ready." The twins quickly ducked out of the bathroom.

* * *

Jounouchi sniffed around and checked the soap dispenser.

Pink.

That would explain it.

Strawberry.

The overly sweet scent of strawberry.

The usual orange scented shower cream he used was orange. His father's wife must have decided they could do with a change of scent.

Not that it mattered, strawberry, orange, one was of not much difference from another. There were both simply fruits…

…though the strawberry scent did remind him of someone from long ago. Someone whom he had not thought of, whom he tried not to think about for the last seven years, until this morning.

What had become of her… the woman he had dreamt of?

And then again, what use was it to think of her?

The dream had opened an over-stuffed Pandora's Box, and now all the memories were pouring out uncontrollably. He had jogged all the way to the beach, and then back the entire distance. But the jogging had not helped him ease the memories away, instead only exacerbated his backache-unhealed since he last injured it heaving an overweight Saint Bernard and carrying his son-

Their son.

Turning on the tap to wash off the soap, cool stimulating water rained down on his face.

He shuddered.

The water was still too cold, though slightly better than when he had first turned on the showerhead five minutes earlier. It had then been freezing enough for him to jump out of his skin.

Forcing himself to stand beneath the showerhead for a full minute, he willed the cold water to wash away his troubles. He didn't need ghosts of his past to haunt his upcoming entire day with Kaiba.

Yet he knew even the coldest of ice water would not wash away the fragments of his past.

But, at the very least, the cold water numbed away the pain of his lower back and prompted him something else to think about.

A visit to the doctor soon was inevitable. He should have accepted Kaiba's offer to take him to Chiropractor earlier the week, but it was such a drag. It must be another thumb of rule that doctors hate being doctored.

Or maybe he could get Honda to recommend some professional chiropractors. His best pal had all sorts of contacts in his line of business.

Admittedly, he had been admittedly avoiding Honda ever since he had declared his undying love for him during Shizuka's wedding. But long months had past, and Jounouchi was beginning to miss his friend. There were things that even to Yugi he couldn't speak of that only to Honda he could bring himself to discuss.

Such as the morning's dream.

It was stuck his head for good, for worse, in sickness and in health, a part of his past which he would never forget and would irritate, pressure him for the next few weeks.

Damn it, he had wanted to start the day off happily. It was meant to be a happy day, bringing the kids after fetching Mai and Harpy, to Kaiba Land and then having Kaiba and Kisara at his house for dinner.

In fact, he could hear his father's wife humming happily in the kitchen right then as she prepared breakfast for the twins. The happy mood she was in had embarked since he had announced that he would be bringing Kaiba home for dinner again yesterday.

His mother wasn't having dinner with them, for that Jounouchi was grateful. His mother still held something against Kaiba, though her viewpoint had improved slightly with a few more dinners with Kaiba. Nevertheless, it was evident Kaiba was not the daughter-in-law she had in mind. Some other girl was. Someone who had disappeared out of his and the twins' life some seven years ago.

Her again.

Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, Jounouchi counted his blessings that his mother was too busy taking care of Shizuka to visit him and the twins. It was unfortunate though that his blessings were built on Shizuka's and Otogi's calamity. The couple couldn't very well be enjoying their little new love nest with his fathers and mothers barging in, taking turns staying at their place to take care of Shizuka and her unborn baby. Honestly, Shizuka really didn't need that much of care at the stage of her pregnancy, but he knew better than to argue with his excited parents.

Humming softly himself to the same tune his father's wife was humming, Jounouchi could tell that she was truly enjoying Kaiba's visit.

She had gone to the market early before the sun even rose to purchase items for their dinner, of course, after checking with him that Kaiba had no other food allergies that might lead to another unplanned night in the hospital.

He hoped the day ran as well as he had planned.

Turning the tap off, he stepped out of he shower. There were still Mai and Harpy to fetch before heading for Kaiba Land.

* * *

"Cornflakes, grandma?" Seth asked brightly as he and Jono pulled themselves into their chairs and watched their grandmother open a large cereal box at the kitchen counter.

"Oh no." Their grandmother answered gaily, spinning around and placing the large box in front of them.

"DUEL MONSTERS FLAKES!" The twins chorused in unison as they both reached for their favourite cereal box, filled with small bite-size cereal flakes shaped like their favourite duel monsters.

"Sethy, let go, I touched it first." Jono commanded, annoyed as he tightened his grip on the box.

"No way, Jono, I saw it first."

"Now don't you two quarrel. There's plenty to share." Their grandmother reminded as she turned to retrieve bowls and milk for their cereal.

"You're always so picky and only eat the dragon shaped ones, so let me have it first!" Jono argued, keeping his voice hushed. He definitely didn't want a scolding from Grandma early in the morning for quarrelling.

"You're not much better anyway, you never eat the Black Magician and Black Magician Girl ones!" Seth whispered back as he pulled the box towards himself, but Jono's grip on it was too strong.

"That's only because they taste funny! Now let go!" Jono pulled the box towards himself forcefully.

"YOU let go!" Seth countered with a strong tug of the box towards his side.

Jono glared at him and pulled the box closer to himself again.

Equally annoyed, Seth did the same.

It was apparent no one was going to win the tug-of-war when Seth finally said angrily. "Fine you can have it."

Jono was obviously caught off guard by his brother's sudden release on the box. Seth watched as the box went flying, landed on the table and slid across the length of the glass plane, knocking everything it ran into off the table.

At the end of its trip, the box's content lay open on the floor along with the tabletop items, and was quickly joined by Joey the dog who had scampered in to check on the commotion.

"Oops."

"Jono! Seth!" Their grandmother was visibly unhappy as she put away the milk she had been heating up. "And Joey! Seth, stop him from eating the cereal!"

Seth grinned. Checking on his twin, he found Jono also grinning away at him and at Joey, who was happily wolfing down the mixture of cereal, bread, pepper, salt and whatever else that may have been knocked off by the box and had joined the food salad at the bottom of the table.

Then Joey started coughing.

Seth and Jono stopped grinning and quickly clambered over to their beloved Golden Retriever.

"Grandma, he's choking!" Jono said, alarmed.

"Well, that serves him right for eating so quickly." Their grandmother answered but nevertheless went over and stooped down by the dog, patting the dog on its back, hoping it would help relieve the dog's choking.

It worked, and in a few moments, the teenage dog stopped coughing and calmed down.

"I'll make you something else for breakfast." Their grandmother commented. "Now take the dog out while I clean up the place."

"Ok."

Heading out of the kitchen, neither saw their daddy's unclasped necklace chain and dog tags lying in the pile of food salad.

* * *

"Millennium Scorpion, attack D.D. Assailant!"

The Earth, Insect-type monster, with an attack of 2300 currently, easily sent the D.D. Assailant into the graveyard, lowering the warrior themed player's life points to a dangerous 200.

And with the Warrior, Earth-type duel monster sleeping in the graveyard, the Scorpion's attack strength increased by another 500 points to a stunning 2800. With no monsters stronger than the Millennium Scorpion on his side of the field, the warrior themed player's life points could be counting down to zero unless he could draw a strong monster and summon it onto his field in his next round.

But from the confident smile on his face, Jounouchi had no doubt that the losing player still had some cards up his sleeves. And as if on cue, the teenager, in Domino High school uniform declared.

"Ha, I activate my D.D. Assailant's special effect! When D.D. Assailant is destroyed as a result of battle with your monster, your monster will also be destroyed! Now, E-Hero Feather Man, direct attack!"

Jounouchi smiled, feeling the familiar excitement pulsing through his blood.

The sudden switch of the loser to the winning side reminded him of his own duels, which was why he had been following the duel of the leading player throughout the entire tournament. Always at the last moments, by some twist, the duellist managed to achieve victory. He was the black horse of the tournament with possibilities of winning the Cup so high that he was certain even Kaiba would have to agree.

And speaking of his lover, the sponsor of the game was most probably sitting in his comfortable office chair watching the game through his many surveillance cameras.

While he sat beside a fuming Mai who looked like she could blow up the building just to get rid of one man sitting four children away.

"You look mad." he whispered to the silent lady seated beside him, who had been boring holes in his head since Kaiba had introduced Varon into their group when they had arrived.

"I am mad." Mai whispered back.

"Varon?"

"Yesssss." Mai hissed.

"I didn't know he was coming either until we met him here." He declared honestly. It was always better to be on Mai's good end.

"Then what in the world is he doing here?" Mai ridiculed as she glanced over to her ex-lover sitting at the other end of the bench beside their daughter. Their seven year old daughter seemed only more than happy; pointing out the game, asking Duel Monster questions and patiently awaiting answers from the father she addressed as uncle Varon.

Jounouchi shrugged. "Maybe Kaiba invited him."

Mai's eyes went one size larger.

"Now how did Kaiba get involved with him?" Mai intimidated, pinching him hard on his side. "I was just asking what he was doing in Domino City!"

Jounouchi winced.

"Don't use the word involved. It sounds misleading."

"You're avoiding my question. How did Kaiba get to know him? I don't recall the two of them having really met before." Mai paused.

Her eyes narrowed. "You told Kaiba about me and him, and Kaiba invited him to come. That fox! That scheming, stupid ogre!"

Jounouchi swallowed hard as he tried to ignore the contradictions in Mai's insults.

"I'll tell you everything I know. Just-OUCH! Stop pinching me!"

Jounouchi rubbed at his sore side as he terminated his attention on the ongoing duel. "He shifted to Domino City just a couple of weeks back, I think-"

"Is he here to stay?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him yourself? He's the father of your child-ouch!" Another pinch.

"The last time I saw him was some four months ago. Now, why did he come?" Mai pressed on.

"To set up business I guess."

"What business?"

Jounouchi looked at her hesitantly. They were approaching a topic he considered off limits too quickly. So far, no one knew of his and Kaiba's visit to the sex therapist two weeks ago, except Honda, since Kaiba had mentioned something about Honda recommending Varon. Then again, if Honda knew, most likely Bakura did too. But the rest of the gang most likely didn't and he would much rather unscrew his head than hear the end of their teasing if they ever found out. Especially when it came to facing the possible relentless teasing from Mai. Yet it was so impossible to hide anything from her. The women had detective skills that matched Honda's.

"Uh, he offers services." Jounouchi mumbled. Surely Mai knew what her ex-lover had a D.D in.

"Services?" Mai looked at him quizzically

Jounouchi attached his eyes back to the duel, praying Mai would forget what he had just said.

"Ohhhh…"

Kaiba Land should prepare some emergency escape holes for people who were embarrassed to the tips of their hair.

He turned reluctantly to see Mai smirking. "Sex counselling and therapy. He once told me he studied it. I thought he was kidding."

"Yes." Jounouchi hissed, easily telling from Mai's expression that she already guessed the rest. "Now laugh all you want and get over with it."

To his mild surprise, Mai simply smiled wistfully and turned to look at the tournament. "Actually, that's kind of sweet, I think."

"What is?"

"The both of you, putting so much effort into the relationship. All that Varon and I can add into our relationship are harsh words and fights."

Jounouchi hadn't given that much of a thought before. But now that Mai mentioned it, he didn't think they put that much effort into the relationship. At least, he didn't. Kaiba did.

"I don't think being dragged off to see a sex therapist is kind of sweet, in your words." Jounouchi snorted, returning to Mai's earlier comment. "It's embarrassing, especially when the therapist is a friend."

Mai turned to him and smiled confidently. "You can't bring yourself to have gay sex with him, can you?"

Jounouchi's jaw dropped.

Mai turned back to the duel before he could answer, "I suspected just as much."

Jounouchi balked. He wasn't sure how to continue the topic after the last remark. He couldn't even say that Mai was wrong. Yet he hated to admit that Mai was right, especially after he had promised Kaiba two weeks ago to sleep with him on Kaiba's birthday.

"You're not quarrelling with Varon in front of Harpy and the kids, are you?" He finally said.

"I'll try not to." Mai answered sharply as everyone suddenly started cheering.

The game had ended, with the black horse of the game having won and currently receiving a trophy from Mokuba.

"Daddy!" Jono, seated right beside him, tugged at his pants. "Where do we go now?"

Jounouchi turned his attention to four small pairs of excited eyes peering up at him as well as one Varon looking at him in bliss.

Suddenly, Jounouchi couldn't help but feel really sorry and guilty for Varon. Guilt because he felt he was part of the reason why Mai and Varon had not managed to tie the knot. Sorry because Varon couldn't spend time legitimately with his own daughter, less say have his own daughter calling him daddy.

"Daddy?" Seth also started pulling at his pants. Any more tugging and those loose pants were joining his shoes on the floor.

"Uh, is there anything you want to see? Or maybe we can go take a look at the free tournament rings and watch more duels." Jounouchi suggested. There was a chance he could perhaps duel one round himself.

"Hey!" Kisara suddenly piped. "Why don't we go to daddy's office!"

The twins' and Harpy's eyes widened. "Can we?"

"Why not? Daddy will surely welcome you all! It's real cool in there! Daddy has everything in there!"

Jounouchi raised a brow. Seto welcoming them was definitely an overstatement. But well, why not?

"Can we go? Can we go see Uncle Kaiba's office?" Seth and Jono pleaded with him while Harpy looked at her mother with large puppy eyes.

"I'll take them over to Kaiba's office and see if he admits them." Mai offered.

Jounouchi smiled. Mai was probably the only person in the world besides Yugi who would know he was dying to duel right then. Duelling kept his mind off every other thing.

"Sure." Jounouchi agreed amiably. "I'll go take a look at the duels and catch up with the rest of you later."

He turned to Varon, unsure of what Varon planned to do.

"He'll come with us." Mai added, after a few moments of debate, before dragging Varon off aggressively with the excited kids in tow.

* * *

Kaiba chewed onto the end of the fountain pen he was holding, only to taste the bitter and foul taste of ink, and discover that he had held and bitten into wrong ends of the pen.

It was a bad habit. One he had contracted from the puppy. His dear puppy had a collection of well-chewed pencils in his veterinarian office, and he had enquired about their purpose of existence.

The puppy had explained that it was mainly for filling in reports, and then sheepishly added on that he used them as bones when he was bored. Kaiba had since then tried it a couple of times and became a mild addict himself, biting into the end of any long thin object he had in his hand when he was bored or anxious.

Anxious would be the correct word to describe himself right now.

Watching through his computer screen at his puppy and one naughty cat who was pawing and whispering to his puppy.

He couldn't hear what they were saying since the recording microphones were installed on the duelling platform, though he could very well control the direction of the digital surveillance cameras to see what his guests were doing.

Tapping a few times on the keyboard, he focused the camera to the man sitting at the other end of the bench beside Harpy.

Varon, looking completely happy watching the duel and talking to his daughter. Yet at the same time, when Harpy wasn't asking him any questions, the man was stealing glances over at the other end of the bench where his Katsuya and the naughty Mai were whispering, and Varon wasn't smiling when he watched them.

Frown would be a better word.

That was Kaiba's own cue to smirk.

Obviously, the guy still had it for Mai.

Which was why Kaiba had engaged him as his sex therapist right on the spot once he knew of Varon's relationship with Mai from Honda, the trusty and reliable private investigator.

While it may be insulting to Varon that he would openly admit that he didn't hire him for his professional skill, he had hired Varon only to use him as live bait for Mai, something to distract her and get rid of her lingering emotions for Jounouchi permanently.

Lingering emotions.

Kaiba toyed with the words in his mind.

He knew of one other person who might have lingering emotions for Jounouchi and whom Jounouchi might have the same.

Honda had filled him in on Jounouchi's only prior serious relationship, when the Private Investigator was checking up on Varon.

Then again, he knew also there were barely any chances of reconciliation between Jounouchi and his previous partner.

It was no grand news, but he had actually investigated her matters. After all, he knew other PIs besides Domino City's self-proclaimed best PI.

She was currently living in the US, engaged to a computer technician. The people around her had no idea of her past relationship with Jounouchi, and naturally knew nothing about her having children. Kaiba suspected she was intent on keeping it secret and sealed. Even her fiancé seemed to be clueless about it. Luck was playing on his side, for as far as coincidences went, the two happened to work for Kaiba Corp, US.

Even he wondered for a while how coincidental things could be.

In any case, one person out of the game meant an increase in his chances of getting the puppy.

While he had trust in himself to get hold of Jounouchi completely, there was simply nothing wrong with planning for the worst situation. But rather than worry about the worst situation, he had another situation up his sleeve, literally.

The ink in his mouth was still bitter and the pen he had bit on just now was now leaking horribly, and had stained his shirt cuffs.

Fortunately, he had spared sets of clothes in his office for situations such as this.

In this way, the CEO was always impeccably clean and tidy.

How vain, eh?

He has an image of perfection to live up to!

The phone rang just as he was undoing his cuffs to take off his shirt.

"Yes, Mrs Kazumi?" All his calls always went through his faithful secretary who would do a brief summary on the client.

"Miss Kisara is here at the office with her friends. She requests to enter with her friends."

A quick glance at his computer screen showed him an emptying hall signifying the end of the Senior/Junior Cup.

Mm.

"Is Jounouchi there?"

"No Sir. Only the children. Miss Kujaku Mai and Mr Varon were present earlier but they left the children here, saying they have other things to attend to." Mrs Kazumi informed helpfully.

"Alright, send them in."

* * *

"And I tribute Red Eyes Black Chick to summon Real Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Jounouchi grinned as he slapped his prized card onto his duel disk. The baby black dragon, sitting in an eggshell gave a small happy roar of fire before the older version of the chick, Jounouchi's trusted companion for the entire Battle City come into view. Years had it been since he had actually slapped on a duel disk and duelled. Duelling on-line was much more convenient, and had certain benefits, such as staying anonymous.

But now as his Red Eyes materialized before the awed audience who had crowded over, he kept his smile encouraging and watched his opponent, the winner of the Annual Senior/Junior High Duel Monsters Kaiba Cup, in other words, the black horse he had spotted and had been half-heartedly supporting throughout the game.

His opponent was strong, as the champion of the Kaiba Cup had to be. But as one of the foremost duellists when the Duelling craze begun, Jounouchi was sure he could put in a good fight too. There were currently no monsters on his opponent's field, except a faced-down card which was either a magic or trap card.

Trap card, no doubt, he guessed.

Or his opponent wouldn't be all smiles even now.

Even if it was a trap card, he would never give up a chance to attack for an impractical pass.

"Red Eyes Black Dragon, direct attack!"

As expected, the covered card was a trap card, and coincidentally, Demon's Die, one of his own most prized trap card. The winged demon tossed the die on to the field before them with an evil grin.

All eyes focused onto the little monster's die. If the die landed on at least a four, Red Eyes would still have enough attack strength for a direct attack on his opponent's remaining 2000 life points.

Six.

Jounouchi cursed silently, but knew he still had a trick up his sleeve.

He watched the counter; Red Eye's attack was decreased by 600 to 1800, which would leave his opponent with a remaining life point of 200 if he decided to leave it to be.

"I activate my magic card." Jounouchi announced, and flipped over the card he had laid on his previous turn, "Angel's Die."

If the die landed anything more than a one, the current turn would be their last battle.

Two.

Jounouchi smiled. The excitement of winning was the same, whether he was eighteen or going twenty-eight.

Red Eye's attack ended the game beautifully, dropping his opponent's life points to a zero.

Jounouchi almost felt embarrassed when the people around them started cheering and clapping for the wonderful game.

He also felt bad for his opponent, this year's Kaiba Cup's young champion who had just lost his first duel to an opponent since the beginning of the three day Kaiba Cup.

Still, the teen's guts were admirable. The boy had approached him for a game, after seeing him play the Real Red Eyes card at a corner of the hall. The challenging attitude very much reminded himself of his younger self. The confidence the boy held was another trait Jounouchi particularly liked. At only thirty-three percent chances of the trap card Demon's Die succeeding, his opponent had been smiling self-confidently all the way.

"I lose." A hearty grin, from one who freely accepted that he had played and lost well.

A duellist with good sportsmanship or a cracked brain. Jounouchi preferred not to think too much on the later.

"That was a good duel." Jounouchi smiled, keeping his deck before taking off the duel disk with a practised flick and handing it over to the next players.

"I won't lose to you next time we meet."

Jounouchi grinned.

The poise and guts which only Junior and Senior High school students could ever have, believing that they were invincible and could never be killed even if they were ran over twice by a truck.

That was probably one reason why the Annual Duel Monster Kaiba Cup was for Senior and Junior high students.

"See you around," He gave a sincere reply and watched as the champion of the Kaiba Cup waved and left with a group of friends.

It was an image of his past, when he, Yugi, Anzu, and Honda had hung out together. And it all started mainly from the day they drew a smiley on their hands here in Kaiba Land.

Jounouchi sighed and walked around the hall, watching other ongoing duels half-heartedly.

How long had it been since they had came to Kaiba Land together?

He didn't even want to answer it. It was absurd to imagine them coming together again, being no longer young teenagers anymore. In just a few years, their children may perhaps be the ones who come together as a group, as another image of their past.

Time had gone on for him, Yugi, Anzu, and Honda. Their own lives, work, children had kept them apart for most times except on gatherings. It was inevitable.

Sighing, practised hands reached for the chain around his neck. It had became his habit to finger the ring when he was thinking -

His hands found nothing to fiddle with.

If there was any feeling he disliked, it was what he was getting right then, as if he had just stepped into a cursed Shadow Game.

His fingers groped his neck for his silver chain cautiously, before he finally willed his reluctant eyes down to his chest to confirm what he already knew.

There was nothing on his bare neck.

As cataclysmic events go, the discovery didn't have the magnitude of a disaster, such as discovering that his best friend Yugi was either schizophrenic or had psychic powers to believe in the existence of Atemu, or such as finding out he had children, or such as learning that his old-day arch-enemy Kaiba was in love with him. Wait, were those considered disasters? Maybe some, but he was straying from the main point.

Kaiba's ring was missing.

* * *

Flush.

"Nice, try it again Seth, standing here this time."

Kisara's voice, Kaiba guessed accurately.

Flush.

"Just like at home!"

The twins'. Either Seth or Jono. He still couldn't differentiate the two's voices very well.

Flush.

"Where's the sensor?"

Harpy's.

Flush.

"Somewhere I guess."

Kisara again.

He was already trying his best to concentrate on his report reading.

Flush.

"I used to think only shopping malls have auto flushes."

The twins. Jono?

Flush.

"Yep, but daddy installed auto flushes in all Kaiba Corporations, fun lands and everything we own. Even the toilet in my bedroom at home has an auto flush."

Kisara.

Flush.

"Way cool! Our house only installed auto flushes yesterday and dad doesn't like us playing around with it."

Jono.

Flush.

"Wish I had it at home too!"

Harpy.

Flush.

"Oh right."

A pause.

"You stand here then, you can flush it a few more times."

Kisara.

"Really, thanks!"

Harpy.

Flush.

Flush.

Flush.

"Cool"

Jono.

Flush.

"Enough already with the auto flushing, kids." Kaiba finally interrupted as he stepped into the bathroom, deciding that it was about time to intervene and save whatever remnants of toilet paper that was left after the kids used it to experiment with auto flush.

Kisara pouted, but immediately brightened again. "Can you show us again the security camera views on your computer?"

"Kisara, I'm trying to work." Kaiba stated as he pushed the four rowdy kids out of the office's attached washroom.

"But you work everyday!" Kisara complained. "And at the office, at home, at night, in the day! All the time, everywhere!"

"I don't." Kaiba argued back guiltily. Kisara's complain was not completely untrue. He was working most of the time. If not, he was out dating with Katsuya. The point was, he hadn't been spending much personal time with Kisara. The only quality time they had really spent together was early in the morning before Kisara went to school, and after nightfall, if he wasn't out on a date or having business.

Kisara only pouted harder, then started singing, "This is the work that never ends, and yes it goes on and on my friend".

Kaiba sighed. He had to be the worst workaholic father in the history of mankind, that is, after Kaiba Gozaburo.

"Alright, Kisara, I'll be free in about an hour. Why don't you show Seth, Jono and Harpy around Kaiba Corp first?" Kaiba suggested as he stooped down to look his daughter in the eye. "Remember the new ice skating ring opened just last week? You can take them ice-skating."

The children beamed at the idea of ice-skating.

"That's a great idea, Daddy! You're the best! See you later!" Kisara quickly planted a kiss on his cheek before running out of the office with her friends.

Kaiba could only smile.

* * *

Left foot.

Right foot.

Balance…

Baaaallllaaac-

Wham.

Jono sighed and climbed back onto his feet again, feeling a new bruise coming up on his knee.

It hadn't took him long to find out that ice-skating meant wearing tight uncomfortable shoes with blades attached to the soles and skating on a large panel of ice so rough that he had fell and scraped enough skin to make a triplet.

A glance across the skating ring didn't make him any happier either. Seth and Kisara were quite happily holding hands and skating around in small circles. Harpy, on the other hand, already an expert at ice-skating and all other forms of sports, was trying out backwards skating tactics.

"Some brother," the little blonde grumbled, feeling somewhat betrayed. Trust Seth to dump him with his lousy ice-skating skills at a corner. And as if it weren't enough, there was this other older kid skating near him, showing off superb skating skills and skid-braking so that pieces of ice and water scraped off by the blades kept showering onto him. He just wanted to tell him to bug off and leave him alone, but the kid was really much, much bigger than him, in size. He swore to get daddy to bring them for Judo lessons.

He pushed off a few inches, almost unbalancing himself and falling backwards onto his bottom again. The little blonde held out both hands to balance himself, meditating revenge on that big kid who had once again, skid to a halt just two noses away from him, purposely, and showered him with plenty of cold ice.

He contemplated on how he could make the big bully fall; maybe he could get Kisara and Harpy to help him. They were both very good skaters unlike him and Seth, who were first time skaters. But a quick glance over to his possible collaborators told him it was fairly impossible; since they were too busy skating themselves.

He was almost giving up as another shower of ice hit him when ingenuity also hit him.

Brown eyes glowed mischievously as they caught a glimpse of a very uneven plane of ice just two feet away near the centre of the ring. If he could work himself over to behind the spot, when the big kid came skating over again, he just might fall.

Grinning to himself, Jono waddled over as best as he could, careful not to fall himself as he approached the roughened ice. If he could make it there –

Wham!

The ice had loomed up before him before he even knew he had slipped. But well, at least he had fallen forward or else Kisara would be harping at him again that falling backwards could result in very bad head injuries.

But that didn't prevent him from knocking his nose, jaw and front teeth onto the ice, though fortunately not too hard and therefore keeping his teeth in his head. Nonetheless, there was a tinge of bitter coppery liquid flowing down his tongue.

"Yuc –"

Eh?

His heart started racing. Kisara had earlier said something about dried ice and wet tongues and how well they stuck together.

He was tempted to bite down on his lip as he would in an edgy situation, but currently there was a tongue solidly obstructing his top jaw from his lip.

This was not good.

* * *

Kaiba threw the last completed report onto his desk, leaned back into his chair and stretched.

It was evidently much easier and faster to complete his work without having the kids in his office distracting. He had to worry about Seth's obsessive compulsion on reading his reports, or Jono's shoelaces jamming somehow in the shredder, or Harpy wasting toilet paper in the auto flush or Kisara throwing herself off the building while watching the eagle soaring in the sky.

Work had proceeded much faster after he had tossed the kids out of his room.

Only to be slowed down again when he found his puppy duelling with the champion of the Kaiba Cup in the free tournament area.

He had followed the entire duel through the surveillance cameras, noting that the amateur player his puppy once was, had beefed up his deck with certain support cards for his Real Red Eyes Black Dragon deck. It was a strong deck now, a deck of possibilities, like Yugi had always nagged about the Real Red Eyes Black Dragon card being a card of possibilities.

His puppy's duelling skills had certainly improved. There was perhaps a tiny one percent chance of the puppy beating him in a duel against his three Blue Eyes White Dragons. Nevertheless, in any case, a duel with the puppy in the near future seemed unlikely. He had no interest in playing against a loved one. Not since the brat of Kaiba Gozaburo turned Mokuba against him years ago and forced them to duel, and neither before that either.

Turning his attention back to Jounouchi, Kaiba was mildly surprised to find his puppy approaching Kaiba Land's Lost & Found Corner.

No doubt his careless puppy must have lost something.

He tapped the keyboard a few times; the screen zoomed in from behind his puppy. He could see his puppy's wallet and keys still sitting in his jean's back pockets. The puppy's left paw held his deck of cards while his right touched his neck absently.

Or rather, Kaiba frowned, touched the phantom chain with his ring that wasn't there.

Tapping a few more times, he switched to another camera which allowed him to view his puppy from the front.

He didn't need to magnify the screen any more times to confirm that the ring wasn't there.

A quick glance at his puppy's fingers confirmed that his puppy hadn't worn it either.

Kaiba leaned back into his chair grimly, waiting a few moments for his puppy to leave the lost and found counter before calling down to the counter.

"Yes, Mr Kaiba?"

"What did Jounouchi Katsuya say?" He asked impatiently.

"Oh, A Mr Katsuya Jounouchi just came-"

"I know. What did he lose?" Kaiba interrupted. Wasn't there anyone in the building who could answer straight to the point?

"He reported a lost item, which is a silver chain with a dogtag which has his name, as well as a silver ring with engravings on it. We're currently paging the cleaners to look out for it."

Trust the mutt to lose such an important ring!

When Ra was throwing prudence down to the Earth, the mutt must have been holding an umbrella!

Kaiba didn't bother with a thank you as he threw the wireless office phone back onto the table.

Sourly, he rose to his feet and left his office, ignoring the surprised look on his secretary's face.

* * *

Jono gazed despondently at the pool of ice before him, which was currently just millimetres from his nose. His jaw was getting tired, his tongue freezing cold, numb and starting to get painful. Any minute from now, he would probably get a locked jaw, not that he knew what it was anyway, but it was time to get serious. Yes... it was time to call for expert help.

"HELLAAAA"

A pair of light blue skating shoes skied to a halt before his blonde soft hair. Flinching slightly away from the blade, Jono attempted to explain the position he was currently in.

"Jono?" A worried and curious Seth bent down carefully as two more pairs of skating shoes arrived to form a circle around him.

"Maai tongue ith tthuck!"

* * *

Kaiba Land had to be the only theme park that had at least four surveillance cameras following every single guest and a CEO who offered personal search services.

Jounouchi wasn't surprised when a grim Kaiba Seto had descended from his throne at the top storey of Kaiba Land to the common grounds a while after he had left the Lost & Found counter.

He took in the sight before him. Long corridor with white carpet and matching light blue walls with a few well-positioned artworks.

Kaiba had barely greeted him before leading him up to the restricted upper levels of the building where they were walking along at present.

It was annoying that Kaiba had not bothered to mention where they were headed. They could be heading to Kaiba's office, but he could never tell. One corridor looked no different from another. Kaiba Corporation was a labyrinth with standards comparable to any pharaoh's tomb.

"The cleaners are searching for it with metal detectors." Kaiba muttered as they started down the corridor.

"Oh." Jounouchi mumbled considerately. Of course, Kaiba would have a more sophisticated way of finding the ring while he had been bent over, manually scanning every inch of the carpet and corner with his eyes before Kaiba came into the picture.

"You're limping." Kaiba's voice pulled him back into bleak reality. His ineffective search for the ring had led to a drastic turn for the worse the pain his back was giving him. He hadn't realize how bad it was, until he had stood upright and found the sharp pain having spread further down nearer to his hips.

"You can't even walk properly." Kaiba scrutinized.

"It will pass." Jounouchi muttered, before clenching his teeth as another sudden sharp pain shot down his spinal cord.

"Idiot, you haven't visited the doctor yet, have you?" Kaiba scowled at him.

Jounouchi glared up at Kaiba upon the epithet. Even if he had really been brainless not to visit the doctor when it was necessary, he didn't need Kaiba to rub it in.

"I said it's okay! I'll see a doctor when I want to." He snapped back.

"Are you brain-dead?"

Jounouchi opened his mouth in pure disbelief.

"Do you want to die stupid? At this rate, you're going to kill yourself before your mouth even closes."

So Seto Kaiba was done with acting civil!

"Brains aren't everything." He shot back. "In fact, in your case they're nothing!"

Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"Calling you stupid would be an insult to stupid people." Kaiba answered unemotionally.

"Why do you have to be so obnoxious?" Jounouchi gritted his teeth. "You are not even obnoxious like so many other people - you are obnoxious in a different and worse way!"

If Kaiba was insulted, he didn't show it.

"We are going to Kaiba Corp Medical Centre." Kaiba announced, his pace quickening.

"Now?" Jounouchi gaped.

"No, maybe when you are paralysed from the waist down. Yes now!" Kaiba snorted, wrapped a hand around his arm and dragged him down the corridor.

Jounouchi snatched his hand back, ignoring the pain the extra movement was causing, "I said that it's okay. I'm a doctor, I can take care of myself."

"Very convincing, mutt. You couldn't even take care of a ring."

Jounouchi almost flipped.

That was a deliberate blow on his pride. Kaiba's words were a final verdict of him being an imbecile of no differences from the CEO's employees.

Worse of all, it wasn't untrue.

He snapped his head up and narrowed his glare on the taller man. Kaiba had glued his eyes to the wall opposite, a clue that he himself was regretting his last few words, but his ego would never allow him to take them back.

"It is just a ring." Jounouchi finally muttered, and then the words came out of his mouth, "I couldn't care less where it went."

The words was spoken before he had given his consent, and sounded a lot more emotional than he would had meant them to be.

Kaiba's back stiffened, his frown deepened significantly.

"It was just a ring." Jounouchi repeated. What was spoken could not be taken back.

"A ring I gave you!" Kaiba shot back; his voice so much louder and heated than both of them had ever heard that it shocked both of them into silence for a while. Kaiba always prided himself for self-control.

"So I should be swooning over it?" Jounouchi watched the blue eyes as they returned his stare when the echoes of Kaiba's voice along the corridor faded away, "I don't cry over expensive sentimental gifts and Ancient Egyptian words, or Kaiba Corp's shares or a ring, Seto. I don't need them! I don't want them. They choke me like some dog leash tied to my neck-"

"Varon was right, Jounouchi Katsuya, you have no commitment in this relationship." Kaiba snapped.

Something inside Jounouchi snapped.

He swung around with a tightened fist. Kaiba's face was but a mere foot away, much closer than he expected but better. It meant his fist would connect with Kaiba's face earlier and harder.

He had never felt better-and worse, when his fist met Kaiba's face.

Kaiba must have been taken completely off guard the way he received the punch and fell back onto the carpet.

With a punch that direct and closed-up, Jounouchi suspected Kaiba would be dazed for at least a minute.

In any case, he was definitely not in the mood to offer a hand and ask how Kaiba was doing. The guilty feeling of having hit Kaiba was quickly being repressed, he felt lightened from his load of anger, the feeling of relieve spreading from his fist to the rest of his body.

He took a deep breathe, and limped off down the corridor, hoping the pain subsided soon.

The punch had felt better than he thought, he decided.

It was sardonic, but perhaps he should do it more often. Suppressing one's anger was not a healthy thing to do, expressing it was.

He didn't turn back to check on Kaiba. And he wasn't too glad, even disappointed, there was no one along the corridor they had stood.

It was such a pity no one saw him punch the lights out of the CEO of Kaiba Corp.

* * *

"C'mon pull!"

Seth bit down on his trembling lip as he watched Harpy and Kisara try their best to help his twin

"Odd! aa ongue ii eaing!"

"His tongue is tearing!" Seth pulled Kisara and Harpy away hurriedly.

The two girls released their grip on a screaming Jono whose swollen tongue was currently still stuck on the ice.

"We should get mommy." Harpy sighed, "She'll know what to do."

"All we have to do is to pull him off the ice." Kisara insisted, applying more strength on her grip on her best friend's head.

"Arrrrthhh!"

"You're pulling his tongue right off!" Harpy snapped.

"Oh, and you won't be able to kiss him in the future?"

"Kisara!"

"Eeii, I andd eddiiii!" Jono started crying.

By then, a bunch of older children was gathering around them, some adults were also approaching to see the commotion. The horror that his brother's life may be accompanied by a panel of ice for a life time was staring to creep into Seth's mind. They needed help, fast. If only daddy was here with them!

"Don't worry, Jono. I'm getting Daddy right away!" He decided quickly and raced off.

* * *

Kaiba stared up at the bright orange lights above him as he lay on the white carpet where he had landed after that forceful punch.

His face hurt where Jounouchi had hit him, the pulsing pain below his right eye was making it slightly painful to even open the eye. An ugly bruise was imminent though it wouldn't be obvious yet. He could easily cover it up with some efficient powder for the next few hours, but by nightfall, the area would start turning into an ugly purple and be hard to disguise.

Beside the bruise, he wasn't hurting anywhere, but he wasn't eager to climb back onto his feet.

Jounouchi's punch had taken him completely by surprise. He hadn't expected a loved one to really hit him. If not, with his fighting skills, he could easily have avoided it or even suppressed it. But now reflecting on it, he had been asking for it.

What made him even start insulting Jounouchi out of the blue?

Jounouchi had been livid and hadn't even turned back to glance at him. He had simply walked out of the corridor into the nearest lift and disappeared to elsewhere.

Kaiba had initially wanted to follow him, struggling to clear his painful right eye's sight and climbing back onto his feet. But when he heard Jounouchi step into the lift and the lift doors closing, he gave up. He fell back onto the carpet and chose to stare up at the light. He needed to do a little reflection on his part.

How pathetic. CEO of Kaiba Corporation, the man who almost owned Domino City and half the world, punched and lying on a carpet.

And even more pathetic, he could hear footsteps along the corridor which was to turn into the empty corridor he was parked at, yet he couldn't care less if someone found him assaulted and lying there.

The earth didn't spin around him. The moon wasn't going to fall out of the sky just because someone discovered he wasn't perfect for one day.

He looked into the orange lights until it blinded him enough.

The skies may not be falling apart; his relationship with Jounouchi seemed to be. He might be overreacting, but that one punch, and the few words exchanged had underlined half their problems in bright red; Jounouchi felt trapped, pressured and insulted by the gifts he gave, even if he had not meant for it.

Logically Kaiba wasn't the only source to all their problems. Kaiba had his fair share of grievances against Jounouchi. He disliked the slow speed Jounouchi was moving the relationship at and the way Jounouchi seemed to be forcing himself to accept their relationship, to the extent of setting a date for sex.

They were not a couple made in heaven, nor on earth, and he bet, not in hell either. Even Hades wouldn't attempt to match-make an unpredictable Aquarius with a volatile Scorpio.

The approaching foot steps still rang from the next corridor, but now were coming from the corner where the two corridors met.

It stopped abruptly, which was expectable. Anyone who saw the CEO on the floor would probably gap at him for a moment of two.

The footsteps started again, this time at a quicker pace.

He wondered if he should just say, he fell, or come up with some stupid excuse such as he had been appreciating the beauty of the orange lights from the carpet.

"Brother!" Mokuba's head came into direct view about him, his long black ponytail falling into place beside his face.

Kaiba sighed and grabbed Mokuba's extended hand.

"What happened here? Are you alright" Mokuba asked, worried, as he scanned around the premise for possible assaulters. "Should I call security?"

"No." Kaiba grunted as he climbed back to his feet easily, wincing as Mokuba reached out to touch the slow forming bruise on his face.

"Who did this?" Mokuba demanded.

Kaiba sighed inwardly before answering. "Jounouchi Katsuya."

Mokuba's face instantly turned from one of worry to completely jubilation.

"Lovers' tiff!" He practically screeched in his excitement.

Kaiba didn't find the idea as entertaining as Mokuba did, considering Mokuba was dancing around the corridor. He didn't even understand what Mokuba was so happy about.

"Over what?" Mokuba pressed when he finally stopped his hysterias and calmed down enough to walk back to Kaiba's office with him.

Kaiba waved it off with a hand. He didn't want to elaborate it to Mokuba.

"Come on, brother, you can tell me anything. I can help you. I'm Domino's professional prince of love!" Mokuba declared.

"No." Kaiba answered shortly. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Mokuba, but I will solve it myself."

Mokuba pleaded a little more, until he finally gave up, deciding that he was too old to use any more of his childhood tricks and pleads to get what he wanted.

"Oh right, brother, I was looking for you, but your ear-piece was off." Mokuba suddenly piped as they neared Kaiba's office.

"For what?" Kaiba answered impatiently as he reached to touch his throbbing face.

He wasn't too concerned about his employees seeing the slowly emerging bruise on his face. Few dared to look him in the eye, less say his face, and even if they did see it, they knew better than to discuss or speak of it. Only Mrs Kazumi, his mother-hen-liked secretary quickly prepared an ice pack and fussed over the bruise.

Kaiba winced as the ice touched the bruise but Mrs Kazumi insisted he used the pack before she would leave his office. Only after he relented and Mrs Kazumi had left the room did Mokuba answer his question.

"I'm not too sure. I received a page from the ice-skating ring that some freaky out-of-the-world accident just occurred. I was searching for you and on my way over there when I found you, so I don't know how the situation is so far."

Kaiba frowned, only to wince further when the movement of his facial muscles proved too much for his bruise.

Reaching for the inside of his collar with the free hand which wasn't holding the ice pack, he switched on his ear set which he had switched off earlier when searching for Jounouchi.

"Mr Kaiba?" An employee started nervously.

"What happened on the ice?" He asked as he tapped on his keyboard, switching to surveillance cameras installed above the ice-skating ring.

He didn't hear much of what the employee said next as he and Mokuba peered into the screen. There was the familiar red jacket of a particular little boy, lying strangely in the middle of the ring with some but visible red liquid around his head.

Mokuba spoke before he did.

"Jono!"

* * *

"You punched Kaiba!"

Mai's voice, already high as it was, went even higher by a notch. Jounouchi frowned at the mention of the man's name.

"Big deal," He scoffed, "you dumped hot coffee on Varon."

He had seen it right after he stepped out of the lift, the comedic nature of the scene soothing away most of the anger he had been feeling.

Mai scowled, "I wished! It was iced."

Jounouchi grinned. Mai was probably the only one who could match his aggressive inclinations.

"Kaiba must be furious." Mai teased.

It was Jounouchi's turn to scowl. "I didn't stay to find out."

"You should have." Mai admonished. "The shocked looks on their faces are something I'll give everything to see."

"Their's, as in Varon's and Kaiba's." Mai added, sweeping her hair behind her shoulders.

"That's probably only because Varon wouldn't hit you back." Jounouchi argued. "Can't tell for Kaiba."

Mai raised a brow. "Would he?"

Jounouchi thought for a while. "Probably not."

"What happened?" Mai asked, her voice gentler.

Jounouchi sighed and leaned back against the wall, watching the empty duel ring absently. "He blew up when I lost the ring he gave as a pending proposal."

"Wait." Mai interrupted. "He gave you a ring? He proposed?"

"In a way, yes." Jounouchi admitted. There was no point hiding things from Mai when she already knew and guessed half.

"That's sweet." Mai commented.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes.

"Sweet and insulting." He muttered. "Only girls like you need to be impressed upon."

Mai frowned. "It's not all about impressing each other. It's about the tenderness in getting a special gift for you."

"Downright tender!" Jounouchi snorted. "The ring was his way of pressuring me into marrying him. It's crazy! We've been together for like what, four months?"

Mai showed her displeasure and jealousy openly. "At least he bothered! Ten years with Varon and he gave me nothing!"

Jounouchi gaped in disbelief. "Nothing?"

"Does Harpy count?" Mai scoffed and then brightened, "Want to trade boyfriends?"

Jounouchi was at a lost to laugh or cry. Mai's last statement was demoting their conversation to a high school level.

He wasn't sure what to answer either. It was neither yes nor no. He probably didn't have a boyfriend anymore after the punch, the realization hit him painfully.

"Varon loves you a lot, more than anyone in the world." He babbled, changing the topic hastily.

"More than who? You?" Mai shot back, "I hate it when men take things into their own hands and push women around according to who loves her more. That's just like Jean-Claude Magnum."

"Jean Claude Magnum couldn't hold a candle to Varon!"

"Tell me, Jou," Mai stepped towards him to look him in the eye, "Both of us loved each other dearly over all this years, and it already started even before Varon appeared. If Varon loved me less that you did, would you have come after me? If at that time, Varon never came into the picture, would you have married me?"

Marry. Mai. Jounouchi swallowed hard. He should have chosen some other topic to switch to.

The truth was, before Kaiba had returned to Domino City, and long after the twins had been with him, the question had often lingered on the tip of his tongue. Especially on dull quiet nights when everyone else in the city seemed to be in couples or families.

They could have made a very happy family, with three kids and lead normal family lives. But then there was always Varon and someone else lingering at the back of his mind, and Mai's as they lay in each others' arms, cuddled up against the pillow in some hotel. The names on theirs lips was not each other's; neither were they the people who they each held in their minds. They were simply lending each other an hour of comfort.

Mai softened her gaze and turned away.

"Forget it. I must sound so crazy to you. The last trip I was just saying I was going to dump you, yet now I-"

"Mai." Jounouchi finally lifted his gaze to meet the tired violet eyes, "We both know we don't love each other. What was and is between us, even now, is not love. It's something more than friendship, but it's not love."

A moment of silence. Jounouchi knew Mai was silently agreeing what he had said.

"Then, that between you and Kaiba, that is love?" Mai suddenly spoke.

Jounouchi focused on the question. It seemed too deep for anyone's depth. He was starting to ach inside for having hit Kaiba, and hurting even more for the quarrel they were having. If he didn't care and love for Kaiba, he wouldn't be feeling a damned thing right then. But Kaiba's love for him was more than he could ever give back, and it suffocated him. He had hit Kaiba because he was desperate for a break from Kaiba's choking love and the ghost of the past that haunted him.

"How do you intend to face him for the rest of the day?" Mai finally broke the silence.

He didn't answer. He wasn't sure.

The door to the room swung opened. For a moment, he wondered if it was Kaiba coming to seek an explanation or a break-up. Kaiba couldn't possibly be so distress as to request a break-up, could he?

"DADDY!" Seth's tearful voice echoed in the large empty room.

So, it wasn't Kaiba.

Jounouchi turned to see the older of his twin running across the room wearing only socks. Weren't the older twin ice skating with Jono, Harpy and Kisara?

"What happened?" Jounouchi asked as he quickly scooped up the almost tearful boy into his arms, ignoring that slight piercing pain in his back.

"Jono." The young boy sobbed. "I'm not sure what happened, but he's stuck to the ice. There was blood on the ice."

The mention of blood was like a sudden electric shock piercing through his previously confused mind.

"Where!" Jounouchi found himself almost yelling at his older son. But the fact that his younger son may be bleeding to death was far more the importance point.

"Ice skating ring." Seth's answer came as a sob. "His tongue got stuck-"

He didn't wait for Seth to finish the sentence.

* * *

Kaiba frowned as he pushed his way through the crowd on the new ice-skating ring.

The crowd had gathered during the time he was in the office with Mrs Kazumi and Mokuba, who had pinned him down long enough to put on a little foundation on him to conceal the bruise at their best.

He could hear Kisara's sharp voice over the murmurs of the crowd comforting Jono and Seth as best a little girl could.

The crowd was getting larger with the moment and he was having trouble getting through.

Fortunately, a page to his guards quickly overrode the problem. Within instants, his trustworthy security guards arrived, swept into the ring and started clearing the crowd, courteously removing them from the ring as fast as they could.

And though a bulk of persistent onlookers were still firmly stuck to the ground, at least a path had been made for him to reach Jounouchi, and his son, who was currently attached to the ground.

Kaiba had taken only one step towards the father and son before he paused. Realistically speaking, such a situation was not serious enough for him, as the CEO of Kaiba Land to appear and head the rescue team. Any of his subordinates, however incompetent he usually felt they were, especially the workers in charged of the ice-skating ring could easily take on the role he was about to step into.

Yet, he had rushed over at the first instant he had heard of the accident, not because of the liability Kaiba Corp might have to shoulder, or because he was the best person to solve the situation, but because the little boy stuck there on the ice was Jono, one child he particularly loved after Kisara along with Seth, and could well rank higher than all his two hundred other adopted children spread all over the world. Jounouchi's child.

He wondered momentarily if the kid there was some other little boy he was not acquainted to, would he even be there. No, he wouldn't even have tuned his surveillance cameras to the scene.

"Mr Kaiba? Should we handle the situation ourselves?" The voice of manager in charge of the ice-skating ring came over his earpiece.

He had less than a second to decide whether to leave the scene or handle the situation himself. In less than half a second, he had his decision made, deciding that whatever inevitable to come after his decision could be worked out.

"No. I'll handle this myself. Just clear out the crowd."

The manager was obviously surprised. Kaiba ignored him and stepped off towards the centre of the ring.

His lover, the man who had punched him just fifteen minutes ago was quietly amusing the child while holding him down firmly so that he wouldn't squirm and move about and hurt himself even more. Mai was expertly removing the Jono's ice-skating shoes so that he would be more comfortable.

"How's he doing?" He asked as he stooped down beside Jounouchi, keeping his voice toned.

"Well, he's a brave boy," Jounouchi answered, his voice just as flat, except for worry for his son. "His tongue is hurting because the kids tried to pull him off. I'm worried the surface of his tongue is already injured."

"The blood?" Kaiba prompted as he watched the small puddle on the ice.

"His nose hit the floor, so he had a little nose-bleed."

"What's going to happen to Jono, Daddy?" Seth approached them tearfully and was now tugging at his father.

"Any ideas, Kaiba?" Jounouchi asked, his eyes glued to his son.

In a way Kaiba was appreciative that the blonde refused to look at him, the atmosphere between the two of them would be too tense if their eyes even meet.

"Is Jono going to be stuck there forever?" Seth looked up at him, the horror that his twin might be attached to an ice forever was written all over his face.

"He'll be alright, Seth. Jono is not going to live with a piece of ice, neither are we going to cut off his tongue. All we need is some warm water." Kaiba reassured.

Turning away, he quickly fired some commands into his collar-microphone.

A few moments later, his reliable secretary, Mrs Kazumi made her way carefully across the ice, with two cups in her hand.

Kaiba took over one cup and gently poured its contents around Jono's tongue.

The boy's eyes widened as he watched the water flow near his tongue, and eventually touched his tongue.

"Ih ih gaina herd?" the boy garbled, his eyes still large as saucer.

Kaiba looked at him blankly. That wasn't German or Spanish or any other language he was exactly familiar with her. In any case, it seemed unlikely the boy would know any international language at his age either.

"He asked if it is going to hurt." Seth's large eyes looked up at him, deciphering his twin's words for him.

Kaiba frowned. He didn't think anyone could understand what Jono had just said; maybe twins had some secret brain stimulation between them that allowed telepathy.

"I don't think so," he answered gently. "The ice would have numbed most of the pain by now."

The boys seemed satisfied with the answers.

Then again, Kaiba reminded himself, that the problem wasn't exactly solved.

He took the other cup from Mrs Kazumi and moved closer in to Jono.

"The first cup was normal tap water." He explained, particularly to Jono and Jounouchi, who was still avoiding his eyes, then again Jounouchi might have been avoiding the bruise. "It helps to melt some of the ice. I was hoping it would be enough to free Jono's tongue."

Jounouchi nodded, comprehending his idea.

"This cup contains luke-warm water, it will help the ice melt faster. I've also shut down the ice-making mechanism of the ring, so once the ice melts a little more, Jono should be free." He continued, patting Jono soothingly on the back as his other hand started pouring the water onto the ice.

One cup was obviously not enough. Kaiba patiently continued pouring water warm as Mrs Kazumi and other guards passed him more cups of warm water.

Eventually, with the ice wet and part of it melted, Jono's tongue was less detached to the ice. Finally, into the tenth cup of warm water, his tongue was finally free of the ice.

A loud cheer was heard from the crowd.

Kaiba watched as Jono was carried off the ice by his father. Jounouchi was in no shape to carry Jono, yet he couldn't bring himself to offer to carry him away. It wasn't the problem of the press, but he and Jounouchi.

His face expressionless, he worked his way off the ice warily. However troubled he was, it did him no good by being careless and end up topping the news next day with headlines of 'Kaiba Corp CEO slipped and fell on ice', though he had no doubt the newspaper would probably exaggerate on how he saved a little boy from freezing to death on the ice.

Stepping back onto solid ground, he watched as Jounouchi carried off the sobbing Jono to Kaiba Land's medical centre, with the other three children crowding around them.

As much as he wanted to follow them off to the medical room, he resisted the temptation and headed for the lift instead. It was difficult for both Jounouchi and him to face each other after such as a confrontation.

Walking away towards the lift, he could hear the reporters whom had originally came for the Kaiba Cup Finals yelling over the ding of why the CEO had to help with the accident himself. It was a smart question, but he had already conjured up a story of Jounouchi and his children being guests of the Kaiba family, and hence, it was obligatory for him to be present, as Mokuba was unavailable at the point of time. If the press suspected anything, they could dig up old records to prove that Jounouchi had been an old classmate and also an old friend of Mokuba's. Seth and Jono were also classmates of Kisara's.

He highly doubted the press would find anything about his and Jounouchi's relationship though. If they already knew, then it would already be in the news. Then, if they hadn't, Mr Seto Kaiba as a gay would be something so absurd they would never think of. And if they were only starting to observe them for romantic ideas, there might not be any more to come.

Ignoring the press, he stepped into the lift and headed back to his office to write up a report for his publicity officer.

* * *

One hour had since passed he had dumped his story to his ungrateful publicity officer, and received the final report from the Lost & Found Corner that still no ring had been found. He was standing outside Jounouchi's house, with Seth, Jono and Kisara getting off Jounouchi's car parked in front of his.

Not a word had been exchanged since they had separated at the ice-skating ring.

Even when they had a chance to speak privately, they had stared away from each other, both pretending to be or truly in deep thoughts.

The front door opened as he stepped down along the familiar driveway. Joey the puppy was the first one to poke his head out, followed by Jounouchi's father and his wife who quickly welcomed them before rushing back into the house to set the tables.

The kids, especially Kisara who hadn't seen Joey in a while, were the first to rush past him and dash for the retriever, hugging and patting it.

The teenage dog wagged its tail a few times as welcome before plopping down at the front door with an upset look. That was a change, Kaiba noted silently, Joey usually liked him enough to pounce onto him and give him a complete lick-over.

"Daddy, Joey looks sick." Seth called out to his daddy who simply swept past Kaiba in silence, to examine the dog, before disappearing into the house with the children in tow.

Kaiba paused wearily in his footsteps along the pathway.

They weren't giving each other silent treatments. They were just at a lost of words to say to one another.

The consequences of their confrontation had yet to be decided, but it was clear they weren't going to simply kiss, have sex and reconcile. At twenty-eight years old, they were no longer immature enough to act like unsteady sixteen-year old couples in third-grade soap dramas. Then again, they had been immature enough to call each other names and beat each other up.

Back to consequences, he could already see some of the possibilities their confrontation could lead to, but it wasn't up to him to decide which one would come true.

If love was a game like Bakura proposed, then it was out of his control. Paradoxically, Jounouchi accused him of having control over him.

The sun seemed to have set behind by the time he came out of his thoughts, only by Joey's warm tongue licking on his hand.

He stooped down to pat the loyal dog who looked back at him with devoted warm eyes.

Until the dog suddenly started trembling and suddenly retched all over him.

Neither could he control when and where a dog throws up, could he?

He swallowed hard, holding back whatever was on the verge of exiting his stomach as he tried not to glance at the vomit on himself and patted the dog's back soothingly.

He was usually blessed with a strong stomach, but the strong smell of dog food mixed with Duel Monsters cereals exorcised from a dog's stomach was absolutely vile enough for his lunch to join the dog's on the floor.

The dog looked up at him guiltily when he was done.

Kaiba managed a friendly smile and continued patting the dog on its back.

A glimmer of silver in the puddle of dog food and Duel Monster cereals caught his eye. As repulsive as the puddle of stuff was, Kaiba reached into the puddle and picked out the silver object.

A shadow appeared at the front door and called out, "Joey?"

Jounouchi.

Kaiba stuffed his prize into his shirt pocket as Joey walked off weakly to his owner who quickly scooped him up and away into the house.

* * *

Jounouchi paused outside the bathroom door.

If it had been any other day, he would barely hesitate to open the door and give Kaiba a scare in the bath-tub. Okay, that was totally exaggerating. He would have never done that, be it today, the past or any time in the near future. But, especially not today.

He didn't know how to face Kaiba. Didn't know what to say. Didn't even know where he should look when Kaiba was around, like in the ice-skating ring when Kaiba was helping Jono.

It was as if he had lost even the courage to breath in front of Kaiba. Maybe he was really the brain-dead mutt Kaiba called him.

He fingered the turtleneck in his hands. Kaiba's turtleneck, borrowed together with the pair of slacks on the first day of Seth and Jono's school. Still scented, with cinnamon, even after he had washed them and worn the turtleneck on many cold nights as a sweater.

Well, it wouldn't be around for the coming up nights, since he was returning both the turtleneck and the slacks to Kaiba. Not as if without Kaiba's clothes he would not be able to survive cold lonely nights.

A cold wet snout nuzzled his feet. Joey's large brown orbs that gazed up at him were still tired from an entire day of feeling sick. Jounouchi haven't discovered what had led to the Retriever's unwell, but as long as Joey had thrown up what he had eaten, chances were that he was on the road to recovery.

Though, he certainly hadn't expected Joey to puke all over Kaiba. And with an extremely weak stomach, he hadn't been able to bring himself to help Kaiba clean up, but promptly picked up Joey and escaped into his own room before he wasted his own lunch.

"Feeling better, pup?" He asked, scratching the golden ball of fur on the back of his ears.

Soft ears perked up slightly, but large brown orbs still stared up at him, as if the concern should not be for himself, but for his master.

"Silly pup, I'm okay." Jounouchi gave a little smile and squatted down to the Retriever's eye level. "But I should have discovered earlier that you were unwell, shouldn't have left you sick at home."

His puppy stood up, rested its paws on his shoulders and licked his face tenderly. Jounouchi took it as an indication that the puppy was well and on the happy road to recovery.

"Silly pup." Jounouchi grinned and pulled away, resisting the puppy's frantic attempts to lick his face. But that was why and how getting a canine was so much better than getting a lover. Dogs were loyal, completely trustworthy and never complained about anything. If their masters were sad, they would understandingly keep quiet, or comfort their masters until their masters were happy again.

Kaiba often called him a puppy. But honestly, he made even a lousy mutt.

The bathroom door slid open quietly, and Jounouchi found himself turning to see a quiet Kaiba, naked except a white towel hanging from his hips staring down at him.

"Your clothes-" He had barely passed over the clothes when he heard a happy yelp from Joey. Golden fur leaped past him and crash landed onto a startled Kaiba who fell back inelegantly from the impact, missing the basin only by a hair.

Jounouchi found the corner of his lips twitching as he watched a mildly annoyed Kaiba lapped by the over amiable and fully recovered Joey.

"Out Joey." He shooed as he stepped into the bathroom. The playful pup released his victim and scampered out.

"Anything broken?" He grinned awkwardly and extended a hand. He was surprised at his ability to smile out despite the awkwardness he felt towards Kaiba after half a day of cold shoulder towards Kaiba. Moreover, less that a minute ago, he had been at rock bottom of his depression, yet now he couldn't help but laugh at Kaiba's misfortune. There had to be something sadist about himself.

"No," Kaiba returned a less than amused smirk and pulled himself up, "but I've learnt today that your family have an intimidating inclination towards violence."

"Congratulations then, you've just discovered the Jounouchi family's dark history." Jounouchi joked half-heartedly.

He wasn't surprised when Kaiba didn't laugh, though; anything funny could go down the toilet bowl with the discomfort they were experiencing then.

Closing the door gently behind him, he held out Kaiba's clothes as Kaiba climbed back onto his feet.

"Love isn't all about matters of the heart, is it?" Kaiba asked with a sad smile as he reached over to take his clothes and hung them on hooks. "I can't just come back to Domino City, seduce you, have sex with you, marry you and live happily ever after with you and the children."

"There's a lot more to a relationship." Jounouchi found himself saying before he realized what he was saying, yet what they were saying were simply the truth. They could live a short fairytale love by not looking at the underlying problems, but the surfaced happiness would be nothing but a lie which they knew only too well after today. They were both practical people living in a practical world.

"Yes." Kaiba sighed, turned away and grabbed another towel to towel-dry his hair further. "Death and taxes, commitments to other people, work, living habits, character clashes, gender preferences. We aren't exactly one pair of Romeo and Juliet."

"We will never give up our lives just to be with each other." Jounouchi agreed as he kept his eyes glued on the toilet bowl.

"Probably." Kaiba paused. "Are you leaving?"

Jounouchi perked up.

"The bathroom?" He tried.

Kaiba rolled his eyes in the mirror.

"No. Are you leaving me?"

Jounouchi frowned. "Are you asking me to leave you? Because I punched you?"

If Kaiba stifled a sad chuckle, he might have missed it for the cough that immediately followed covered it up.

"Maybe, I can't imagine being with someone who punches me when in anger." Kaiba paused. "No, because of all the reasons you punched me."

"It wasn't all your fault and all our problems that made me hit you." He admitted. "I was troubled."

"But it was mainly our problems, wasn't it?" Kaiba pointed out accurately.

Jounouchi sighed, "Things happened so fast, it is difficult for me to react."

Kaiba nodded. "I know." He paused again. "I wasn't asking you to leave. I was asking if you want to leave me."

Jounouchi blinked. Had it all come down to breaking-up?

"Do I have to answer now?"

"No." Kaiba replied, dumping the hair towel into the laundry basket.

"Then give me more time, for me to accept you as you are, and myself as I am." He answered. Their relationship wasn't that hopeless. Not as hopeless as Kaiba make it out to be, to the extent they have no choice but to leave each other.

He watched Kaiba nod impassively. It didn't take much for him to catch the loneliness and desolation in Kaiba's eyes, even as Kaiba skilfully concealed it

"It doesn't have to end like this." He took a step towards Kaiba and wrapped his arms around Kaiba's waist. "Couples quarrel half the time. Problems can be solved. Just give me time."

He felt Kaiba hesitate a moment, before his arms wrapped back around him fiercely. He could feel Kaiba relaxing slightly, his breathing and heartbeat slowing down.

"Don't leave me." Kaiba murmured into his hair.

He closed his eyes. Being with Kaiba suffocated him, yet also gave him a peacefulness he needed. As much as he wanted to escape from Kaiba, he missed him.

Missed the hugs, the stability and the love Kaiba gave.

He didn't want to choose between facing the problems that the hugs, stability and love brought along with, and the freedom he would get by leaving Kaiba.

But for now, he simply wanted the warmth of Kaiba's body heat beside him.

"Katsuya," Kaiba drew in a breath, "millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you."

Jounouchi perked up.

Kaiba gave a little smile. "We can use a little more time and space to think about our relationship."

Jounouchi pulled away and mirrored back the smile.

"Does your back still hurt?" Kaiba asked softly.

Jounouchi chuckled quietly, "Not really. It kind of went away when I hit you."

That brought a quiet laughter to Kaiba too before silence once again filled the bathroom.

"Does it hurt?" Jounouchi finally asked as he reached to touch where he had hit Kaiba earlier. The dark bruise previously concealed was now for all to see as the powder had been washed away.

"A little." Kaiba replied truthfully before asking. "What do we tell the children and your parents about the bruise on my face?"

"Tell them, you fell and hit the basin while you were bathing." Jounouchi teased.

"I'm not that clumsy." Kaiba countered.

"Screw it then, Dad would recognise my punch instantly in any case. But I'll see if I can steal some of Shizuka's foundation, if she has any left here." Jounouchi finally said as he reached for the door.

"Wait." Kaiba caught him from behind.

Jounouchi turned around to see Kaiba holding out a silver band to him.

His ring.

"Do you still want it back?"

Jounouchi swallowed, uncertain.

"It's just a simple gift." Kaiba looked at him in the eye. "Forget the marriage proposal. It means nothing, just a simple present… Just too much of a waste to throw it away."

Giving him a small smile, Jounouchi reached for it.

"Wear it on your finger. It wouldn't be lost that easily." Kaiba said quietly, teasingly.

Jounouchi couldn't help but find a smile creeping up to his face. "Ah, the manipulative Seto."

"Just kidding, Katsuya." Jounouchi looked up to find Kaiba smiling too.

"Uh huh. So, exactly what was it about the millions and millions?" He finally asked.

Kaiba blinked.

"Millions and millions of years would not something-something eternity when you put your arms around me." Jounouchi quoted.

Kaiba smiled. "Jacques Prevert. He said it."

"Jacques Pervert?" Whoever the guy was, he pitied him if he goes around being called a pervert legitimately.

"Prevert, puppy."

"Interesting, but not a line suited for the washroom." Jounouchi answered absently as he fingered the ring.

It was a spur of the moment, but he suddenly felt like wearing it, since it no longer carried the weight it used to.

He could wear it now, and take it off again before dinner.

The ring had barely slipped onto the tip of his finger when Kaiba quickly reached over and wrapped a hand around his finger, "Don't wear it!"

"Why not?" Jounouchi mocked, "I don't see why I shouldn't wear a simple gift."

"Because-" Obviously Kaiba didn't know why either but just stopped him from wearing it.

Jounouchi was laughing as he wrestled with Kaiba to put the ring on.

"Because?" He prompted, watching Kaiba's exasperated expression.

"Because I want it back, fine?" Kaiba anyhow shot him an answer, as he struggled to retrieve the ring.

"Your towel's dropping!" Jounouchi warned chuckling.

While Kaiba tried to wrestle the ring back yet at the same time, make sure his loosening towel doesn't drop, Jounouchi took the opportunity and momentum to slip the ring into his finger. But he was laughing so hard and with Kaiba tugging at his hands, he could barely slip it on.

And that was when Kaiba suddenly let go of his hands, to catch his dropping towel.

Jounouchi lost his balance and fell onto to Kaiba, their eyes still glued onto the ring as it slipped off his finger, did a complete somersault in the air, with the white pearly toilet bowl looming beneath it…

Thung.

Plop.

Flush.

* * *

**Authors' comments**

1)Thank you to all supporters, reviewers and readers. FOD is finally continuing after a year of hiatus as our busy school year approaches the summer break. We are truly happy for all the support and sorry that all of you had to wait a long year. (gives out cookie and milk to everyone). For updates and news on when we may update, you may check out the author profile page or our are currently in the process of setting up a livejournal for Kaiba is WHAT Productions which will provide even more news, updates and replies to reviewers. Keep checking back our profile page for its opening.

2)This chapter started out quite early but was never penned until a few days ago because we couldn't decide on the storyline. In the end, the original version, at its 75 percent completion status was thrown away and replaced by a version 2. Nevertheless, the original copy (16 pages!) is still in our hard drive. We will most likely be editing it after we finished the story and put it up as a scabble or alternate version to FOD. So enjoy!

3)As a gentle reminder, the story was begun before the ending of YGO was published. Yami and Yugi, Bakura and Ryou are considered to have merged into one, so their characters would show a combined character. Or, readers can also reason it as such that Yugi and Ryou, having matured, have both developed characters similar to their yamis.

4)We came across several fanfics which have Seto's real surname as Yagami. Is there evidence to it?

5)Jean-Claude Magnum. In episode 80 of the anime, the ninja actor who forces Mai to marry him.


	20. New Year & Christmas Special

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Christmas & New Year Special**

**_Note: Does not continue from chapter 17 nor continue to chapter 18. It is a story by itself readers can insert into the long story anywhere they like. Modified from our originally written chapter 17 which we self-rejected and rewrote the current chapter 17._**

**_Have fun reading and a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!_**

**_

* * *

_**

On a cool breezy December noon, the sky was blue and in the Snow Mountains, the winds were singing. Kaiba Ski Resort was quiet and peaceful, other than a single snowball meandering its way down the white sugar snow. Right in the way of the engorging snowball, which on closer look revealed that it was actually a man dressed in white skiing suits dusted with snow trying to stop his unfortunate slide down the slopes, a single ring sat, vulnerable and helpless to the onslaught. A red squirrel scuttled towards the silver, beautifully engraved gem and sniffed it, completely unaware of the looming ball of danger…

* * *

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Jounouchi yelled. Snowboarding was the last blasted thing he would ever regret in his life. Damned board was either stuck in the snow unmovable or weaving uncontrollably down the slopes into each tree, stone and any inanimate object in the way. And right now, there was an immobilized squirrel right before his board.

He pulled quickly to the left, running over a small flat rock but miraculously avoiding the little rodent which had simply grew roots and refused to budge from his way. Had he not swore the Veterinarian's Oath, he might have really contemplated on simply knocking out the squirrel, but well then…

"_Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health and the advancement of medical knowledge."_

Well, he HAD swore to protect the squirrel's health, and the relief or prevention of its suffering and as well as the squirrel's conservation.

So much for a small squirrel –

The board beneath his feet hit something hard and Jounouchi found himself momentarily flying forward, his shoes detached from the snowboard and finally crashing hands first into the snow.

At least he finally completed the entire trail, even if the journey down had been blessed with numerous wipe-outs… okay it hadn't been that bad, he had simply been stumbling down the slope for most part of the later journey, but at least he had completed it, finally, and in one piece.

Fingers accounted for, toes still in existence and no missing teeth. No doubt no one else but him could have survived the so many wipe-outs without something broken, all thanks to his years of roughing with the bad boys in Junior High, oh sorry, he was the bad boy…anyway back then, even the slightest bit of provoke such as a mere stare from any unfortunate guy would fire him into a fist fight, and that was where his endurance came about –

"You are the most annoying man I've ever met!"

"Look! That was a mistake. It was so long ago-"

"I don't care. It's over, you and me. I don't need you, we don't need you, Harpy doesn't need you!"

"I'm not hearing what you are saying. Harpy needs a father. I'm her father! And will you just forget that incident. It was like six years ago! I…"

– and speaking of provocations and fights, even Jounouchi had to confess that he was runner-up to the quarrelling duo who were currently strolling past him towards the Professional Terrains.

Mai and Varon.

They were akin to water and oil.

Since they had arrived at the Ski-resort yesterday, the two had been quarrelling non-stop whenever the two were left alone. In the beginning it had been little sarcastic words on Mai's part, and then Varon had started shooting back not-so-politely when his patience ran thin. Finally it turned into a full-blast verbal war that did not spare anyone who dared intervene. Even Yugi and Anzu, who were usually the mediators in any quarrels, decided the best course was to leave them alone.

Climbing back on to his feet, he was surprised to find Kisara holding two snowboards, hers, a smaller white and blue stripes board and his.

Clad in blue skiing suits with a picture of her favourite Blue Eyes White Dragon sewed on it, she was a wonderful snow-boarder like her daddy. The father and daughter had astonished almost everyone in the resort with their superb snow-boarding skills as soon as they had slipped on their snowboards. Kaiba clad in white, Kisara in light blue, the two glided gracefully but quickly down the most challenging trails.

"Your board." The blue eyed girl chuckled and held out the board, "Daddy says that you've broken the amateur's record for rolling down the trail seven times in a row."

"Ha, it's the eighth." Jounouchi grinned and attempted to ruffle her pale tresses, where by Kisara quickly flinched away.

"You're wet, Uncle Jounouchi!"

"Well, after half a morning of rolling in the snow, that's what one should expect."

"You are supposed to skid down the trails, not roll down! Uncle Jounouchi!" Kisara teased.

Grinning, he peered down cautiously at his clothes and had to agree that white suit was unpleasantly much wetter than when he had started out. Having warmed by the exercise preciously, he had unzipped the upper part of the overall suit as the day progressed and relied on the cotton shirt beneath to keep him from the cold. Only with Kisara's yelp had he realized he was entirely drenched, from gloves to socks.

"So where's your dad?"

"Last I saw him, he was with Uncle Yugi teaching Seth and Jono to snowboard."

Jounouchi raised his brow, briefly wondering what would the outcome of the two archenemy's lessons.

"Alright, I'm going back to the cabin." Jounouchi decided. Snow was fun to play with only when one was not in the danger of freezing to death.

"Have fun, Kisara."

"Of course!" Kisara answered brightly before speeding off again. In instants, she was a tiny figure sitting on the lifts to the more challenging trails while Jounouchi trudged back to the cottage.

* * *

"Admit it Kaiba, you're the better snowboarder, but when it comes to teaching, I'm the better teacher." Yugi said with a slight smile.

Kaiba frowned. It sounded as sarcastic as it sounded insulting, yet it was perceptibly not Yugi's intention to offend him.

"Yugi, see that trail over there?" Kaiba finally said, deciding that even if the shorter guy didn't mean to provoke him, something had to be done to get rid of the irritation resulted in.

"Yeah. The one shaped like Lava Golem except it is snow."

"That's Snow Golem," Kaiba muttered, "Mokuba named it. In any case, that's the trickiest trail we have. Are you up to a challenge?"

Kaiba watched out of his eye at Yugi who stared intently at the trail, as if contemplating his possible solutions.

Finally, his old-time-rival smiled and answered. "You're on."

Kaiba found a small smile creeping up to his face with a little surprise. A little excitement had crept into the air, reminding him of long ago, when he had once rivalled Yugi in the Card games. The familiar feeling of a challenge, the strong desire to win, the confidence of winning.

"I'll see you at the top of the trail in an hour. That will give you sometimes to brush up your skills."

Yugi laughed. "Same to you."

His glare instantly focused on the shorter man.

There was no way he was losing this battle.

* * *

"It's a pity Mahaado, Mana, Isis and Malik can't come." Jono complained as he and Seth trudged through the snow on the way back to the wooden cabin they were residing in for the night.

An hour had passed since Uncle Yugi had left them at the beginner slopes to practise for his own snowboarding competition against Kisara's daddy; the twins were completely bored with the same old, too easy trails.

"I'm sure they are having fun too at the day camps and with Grandfather Sugoroku." Seth answered, keeping his eye on the wooden cabin standing about five hundred metres away.

"I want to try the intermediate terrains." Jono mumbled, his eyes looking skyward, as if pleading with the heavens.

"Dad will never allow it. He thinks we are just as bad as him as snowboarding."

"We can just try again." Jono sighed.

In a few minutes, they've reached the cabin and were happily cuddled up with their daddy in a warm armchair.

"Can we try the intermediate terrains?" The twins immediately asked.

"No."

Well the answer was quite expected…but it was worth trying a few more times right?

"Please daddy, can we try the intermediate slopes?"

"No."

"Please please pleeeeeeeeeeease?" The twins blustered.

"No!"

"But daddy! We've already tried all the beginner terrains. Harpy is playing the intermediate terrains and Kisara is already playing the professional trails!"

"No intermediate or professional trails, Jono, Seth. It's only your first times snow boarding."

"But we'll just..."

"NO. Just play in the beginner trails or play with the snow!" Their daddy suggested. The twins rolled their eyes in unplanned unison as they glanced out of the windows at the ting blue figure of Kisara completing another professional trail.

"Build…build an army of penguin soldiers or something! Snow dragons, pit traps, snowball fights. Anything but the intermediate trails!"

The two twins turned to each other and grinned at each.

The ideas those suggestions fostered! It probably wasn't as good as the intermediate trails but it could be just as fun if they did it right.

They could build an entire army of Duel Monsters and dig pit traps all over the resort. Together, Harpy, Kisara and they were very good hole-diggers, as discovered from the last beach trip. And hadn't daddy and Kisara's daddy enjoyed the mud hole they dug back then?

Scrambling quickly off the couch, the two little blondes scampered for the door as their daddy stared at their retreating form in wonder.

* * *

Jounouchi was almost reluctant to turn off the television after spending a good half and hour watching a special documentary on Duel Monsters. It was amazing how Duel Monsters, after almost a decade, had remained as popular as when he had first duel his first battle. Then again, Kaiba Corporation was always holding endless promotions and competitions to keep the craze going on.

He turned to the window, wondering what the kids were up to. Hopefully his suggestions could keep the sugar and snow high kids busy until lunch so that for now, he could enjoy the warmth of the large wooden cabin cottage the resort offered. To hell with whatever the resort's brochures had recommended about enjoying the thirty over different slopes, ice-skating lakes and romantic getaways with lovers. Curled up in an armchair in front of the electric heater much more a luxury and a comforting place where he could happily watch the snow sceneries outside.

Okay, maybe not so much of peaceful, undisturbed snow sceneries, there weren't much snow sceneries to speak of anymore anyway. Taken, the sceneries had still been there earlier in the day, but somewhere between his order for the kids to go play with the snow and the last documentary, Penguin Soldiers had been sprouting up all over the place. Just about 20 minutes back, he had watched briefly as Harpy and Kisara joined the twins in the snow covered yards of Kaiba's ski cottage, where the four had begun a campaign to build as many snow Penguins as they could. The earlier snow sceneries of pine trees and snow-capped mountains were now obscured by tens of thousands of evil smiling Penguin Soldiers. Jounouchi had a sudden shudder as he watched the snow Penguins, dressed with sticks for arms and leaves and stones for eyes. He didn't dislike penguins, and had never thought so much about snow penguins. But now it didn't seem that he liked those snow Penguin Soldiers very much either. He had then moved away from the window to avoid the ghastly stares.

Whatever the case with the penguins, at least they were entertaining the kids so that he could have a little more quiet moment to himself. Jounouchi chuckled at the thought of a quiet moment. Anyone who knew him since he was a youth would think a quiet moment did not really go along with him. He was boisterous, rough, noisy, always on the move. But time has flown, and now with 2 even more boisterous, rough, noisy boys who were always on the move, he was more appreciative of every single quiet moment he could find.

And then the odd realization struck him.

It was quiet... too quiet. The children had been screaming and shouting as all children do when they played earlier on as they built their snow penguins. But a sudden silence had set in. The children may have left, but it didn't seem likely. If they were done with their campaign, it was more likely they would rush in the door and drag him out to "appreciate" their wonderful job. But there were none of those. No sound, no sight. The only living creature staring at him was Joey, whom the kids had insisted on bringing along, who currently stared at him with its warm tongue hanging out loosely.

Ignoring the oddness, he retrieved some popcorn from the kitchen and was just about to sit down in a warm armchair, with an eye keeping wary of Joey, when there was a knock at the back door.

Chewing a little on his lip, he pointed to the Retriever and commanded "You stay," before heading for the door. His kiddie sensor had kicked in and it was telling him it was a prank by the children. Opening the door cautiously, he stayed hidden behind the door until he could be sure no onslaughts of snowboards were approaching. He stuck his head out of the door, shivering a little at the cold air. Clad in only a pair of jeans and t-shirt, he was in no place to be out there in the cold.

Looking around, he found no signs of the kids. They were the only possible culprits to the "doorbell prank". But not seeing them did not necessarily mean they were not there. The piles of snowballs and jutting popsicles which were supposed to resemble snow Penguins all over the front yard of the cottage could have hidden an Obelisk and all of Kaiba Corporation's Employees.

"Seth, Jono?" he asked, taking a hesitant step outside. He should have grabbed at least a coat before stepping out. It was colder outside then he thought.

Suddenly a rain of snowballs exploded on him, and Jounouchi found himself wincing when he landed painfully on his backside- a present from heaving an oversized dog onto the examination table- and a giggling boy in his lap.

"Daddy!" Jono grinned. "Did we scare you? Huh? Huh?"

Jounouchi barely answered, the pain from his back was no kidding matter. It had healed but a little since he had injured it. Though he would never admit to it in front of Kaiba, he regretted not visiting the doctor and Chiropractor as Kaiba had insisted earlier on when he had found out about his injured back. Maybe he could get Honda to do a little Chirpopratoring on him when he get back to the city, Honda had once attended some lessons on it, though only a few lessons before declaring that he could do better than the teacher. Jounouchi couldn't exactly trust his word for it, but with the pain throbbing on endlessly, any mistake on Honda's part could perhaps at least put him out of his misery.

"Daddy?" Jono cocked his head to the corner, obviously oblivious to his daddy's pain, not that Jounouchi wanted the children to know about his back pain anyway.

From a corner of his eyes, he could see the three other giggling rascals climbing up the steps onto the raised platform. Better to get Jono off him before the mirror of the twin join in the seat.

"Yeah. You pretty much gave me a big shock." Jounouchi quickly answered. "Erm."

"Yup?"

"Why don't you go play outside for a little longer until lunch? You can go farther, maybe like go collect weeds in the pine forest." It will give him sometimes to rest his painful back before climbing back up to his feet.

"It's all snow," Kisara piped, "There are no weeds."

"Go! Get Lost! Go play!"

"But we're hungry, daddy," Jono grinned, climbing off his daddy's lap to join Seth, "Can we have some chocolate cake first, before lunch? Harpy says her mommy brought a huge one, shaped in a Kuribo!"

"Yup! A huge Kuribo one! She ordered it from Uncle Bakura's cake shop!" Harpy piped up.

"Can we can we?" Four pairs of large hopeful eyes peered at him, brown chocolate icing reflected in their eyes.

That was when Jounouchi noticed the shovels in their hands. Horror struck him as to what children can do with shovels. Forgetting his back pain momentarily, he quickly sat up and got back onto his feet.

That was when he noticed the holes, all over the front yard, and one particularly large, deep one sitting menacingly right in front of Kaiba's car.

A very. Very. Very. Large hole.

"Kids, WHAT are you DOING?" he almost found himself screaming in shock as he stared wide-eyed.

"Making trap holes, like you said!" Kisara grinned, bright eyes peering around Jounouchi into the cottage behind him. "Hey, Joey is eating the popcorn!"

As much as he appreciated and marvelled at the kids' hard work, he hadn't expected so many holes in their cottage's front yard.

And how did four school children even manage to dig so many and the particularly big hole, about five times seven feet, with a depth of at least four feet, in such a short time was way beyond him.

Mustering whatever vigour he had left, Jounouchi slipped on his shoes and tottered his way down the steps, across into the front yard, careful not to slip into any holes, to the largest one. The cold and pain was forgotten for now. He could deal with a flu and a broken back later.

A huge hole.

A deep hole.

More than enough for Kaiba's car to nose dive in for a partial snow bath. In fact, there was no way the car could be removed from its current parking spot without pitching into the hole, unless the cottage behind it can be removed. And even if the car managed to inch its way away from that hole by any miracle, it could well fall into the other holes.

"Where's Set-where's your dad, Kisara?" Jounouchi managed to ask.

"I think he's having a snow-boarding competition with Uncle Yugi." Kisara answered.

"Where did you get the shovels?"

"From the shed in the backyard. Daddy said we could use them to gather snow for our snow balls." Yeah. He didn't say you could dig so many holes in his front yard. But then again, Jounouchi was the one who had suggested they played around in the snow, and moreover, suggested they 'make snow pits', as Kisara had quoted.

"Snow, back into the pits, now!"

"But daddy –" The twins pleaded, clearly reluctant to have their hard work demolished.

"Now!"

Pouting, the four kids buried their small shovels into the snow and begun scooping the white sugar back into the holes. Sighing, Jounouchi picked up one of the bigger shoves and proceeded to help with the largest pit. Practised hands reached for the chain around his neck to tuck the ring, together with his dog tags, into his the collar of his jacket-

When it found nothing.

A bad feeling came over him as he fearfully groped his neck for his chain.

Nothing there.

Swallowing hard, his eyes crawled down his chest to confirm what he already knew.

As cataclysmic events go, the discovery didn't have the magnitude of a disaster, such as discovering that his best friend Yugi was either schizophrenic or had psychic powers to be able to see Atemu, or such as finding out that his girlfriend was bearing his children, or such as learning that his old-day arch-enemy Kaiba was in love with him. Wait, were those considered disasters?

Whatever the case, it was what his dad would have called 'A Moment', meaning when looking back at it, unlike the simple act of watching an episode of Duel Monsters, the discovery was a significant event. It had meaning, it had impact, and most importantly, the discovery had consequences. In fact, a whole chain of consequences with a domino effect.

Scrambling back to the cottage, successfully plunging his feet into a few trap pits and ignoring Seth and Jono's surprised and annoyed shouts that he wasn't helping, he barely bothered to kick off his shoes as he ransacked the couch where he had been lying on and eating chips.

No sign of it.

The master bedroom beds. Nothing there either. Random thoughts ran through his mind in frenzy.

His chain.

Kaiba's ring!

Kaiba had just commented that he would strangle himself one day sleeping with the chain around his neck that particular morning when driving to the resort. Right now, being the first man to die strangled by his own necklace while sleeping would be much better than having to tell Kaiba he lost the ring.

The bathroom? The kitchen? A thorough search came up with nothing.

"WHAT IS THAT BIG HOLE DOING IN FRONT OF MY CAR!"

His heavy heart sank to whatever depths it could. That was Kaiba coming always at the most unwanted timing, yet the most inevitable time. The ring, he knew, in the most bottom pit of his stomach, was lost somewhere out there in the big white blanket of snow, possibly having slipped off during one of his eight big rolls and numerous other smaller falls down the slopes.

He recalled Kaiba having done a detailed introduction of the resort earlier, that it covered almost some fifty islands of Alcatraz, had about 30 different slopes which he had challenged about half today. He didn't want to think anymore. It was now all a blur.

"Daddy?" A curious Seth popped his head into the room and whispered before disappearing back into the snowy outsides. "Uncle Kaiba's back, and he's real mad about the hole. Do something!"

Right, there was still the hole, another problem to add to his. But perhaps, his mind turned quickly, it could distract Kaiba from the ring.

As if on cue, his boyfriend swept into the room, still slightly out of breath from his snowy excursion and loud bellow.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly grabbed one of Kaiba's turtle-neck sweater and slipped it on.

"My god! How could they even imagine making a hole in front of the car!" Kaiba was still going on about the hole.

"So, er.." Jounouchi asked calmly, "How was your competition with Yugi?"

His anger quick to evaporate, with a confident smirk, Kaiba pulled of his gloves and declared, "Well, we went five rounds. He won twice."

"That's just one more victory than him."

"But nonetheless a final victory for me." Kaiba smirked before breaking into a gentler smile. "You are wearing my clothes."

"It's just a sweater." Jounouchi answered blankly.

Kaiba had by now stripped of his white skiing suit and was clad in the dark turtleneck shirt and jeans he had worn under the ski suit.

"You're cold." Jounouchi heard Kaiba murmur as the taller man closed up on him and hugged him gently from behind, Kaiba's arms draped around his neck comfortably.

"Yeah. I failed to wear my jacket when I went out to see the children's outstanding performance in the snow."

"I can warm you up." Kaiba answered as he buried his head into Jounouchi's neck. Jounouchi liked it. It was warming but he also worried about the kids bursting in through the door any moment, though there was little possibility of that, with kids probably half-frightened of another outburst about the holes from Kaiba. But there was also still the worry as the close proximity between the two of them meaning a high chance of Kaiba discovering the little disappearance of the ring. It was not his intention to hide it from Kaiba, and merely a matter of time before Kaiba found out. But, if he could delay it and find the ring first, he could perhaps avoid… Damnit. Why did Kaiba have to be so observant? And why was it almost always him, Jounouchi Katsuya who always ended up in trouble

"Later." He answered, pulling away, hoping the short time Kaiba had spent draping around his neck had not been long enough for the observant man to discover his bare neck. "Go take a shower, you're all sweaty."

Kaiba merely gave him an odd smile and headed off into the bathroom.

* * *

Meanwhile somewhere out there, a particular red squirrel had just established itself as the new lord of the ring.

With two small arms bear-hugging the ring, it scuttled across the white snow, its nose in the air to catch for any scent that spelt food.

Scuttling pass three little primates shoving sand with long strange sticks into a deep valley, it scampered up another long stick similar to those in the hands of the primates which was leaning against the flat brown wall of dead trees, onto a long vertical ledge.

Sniff sniff…

Corn!

* * *

"Done?" Kaiba called out as he stepped out of the cottage to survey the reversed damage. It was believable to him that the kids, with their unlimited energy, could do such damage. He also believed that with their limitless energy, they could do the proper job of refilling the holes, particularly the one looming dangerously in front of his car.

"Yes, Daddy. Trap Pit inactivated." Kisara grumbled as she threw her shovel aside and fell into a heap beside the other exhausted kids.

Kaiba beamed quietly to himself as he watched the almost flattened yard, free of its holes and previous heaps of snow. The large hole in front of his car was also well packed and filled. He would have to wait for the snow to harden further before attempting to rescue his car though.

Yugi had asked earlier why he had not simply called for the resort staff to do the dirty work, but Kaiba believed in the kids having to bear responsible for their own doings. Moreover their trip was decidedly supposed to be a domestic trip which he and Jounouchi had discussed not to get any Kaiba Corp staff involved. Yet again, Kaiba smirked to himself as he recalled himself having already broken a few of those rules they've set by asking the staff to carry Jounouchi's snowboard back to the cabin, and having the staff cordon off the area they were snowboarding at. Even more ironical of the 'domestic trip' would probably be the fact that the trip was held at the Kaiba Ski Resort, part of Kaiba Corp's property. And Kaiba had even arranged for them to live in his private cabin away from the rest of the resort.

Kaiba glanced back to the house where he could see through the window that Jounouchi seemed to be combing the house, throwing up every cushion and magazine for, obviously, his ring for obvious reasons.

It didn't take ten seconds for him to register that Jounouchi had lost the ring after he had seen him in the toilet. Jounouchi left too many clues and tips around. He also had a hunch where the ring might have disappeared to, which was probably Jounouchi's worst nightmare, in the snow fields. It had occurred to him on the 3rd time he watched Jounouchi roll down the slope that the ring might accidentally dislodge or something, but his holiday-induced indolence had stopped him from reminding Jounouchi to remove it before losing it. What surprised him was his unanticipated calm after discovering the lost of the ring. But that calm did nothing to curb his pining to retrieve the ring either.

Yet he knew, if the ring was really lost somewhere in the slope, looking for it was as good as seeking a needle in a pile of hay, or worse, seeking particular hay in a pile of hay.

"Daddy, can we go ice-skating?" Kisara interrupted as she, Harpy, Jono and Seth picked themselves off the snow.

Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts and frowned. As if the shovelling hadn't used up any energy in them at all!

The four looked up at him hopefully with their head cocked to the side.

"Alright, you may," Kaiba contemplated. It would be easier to search for the ring without having to keep an eye on the kids. "After your lunches."

"Yep. Aunt Anzu and Aunt Mai make the best lunch!" Kisara answered, eager to run back into the cottage for her lunch.

"Just be careful on the ice. Remember to wear your gloves and earmuffs. It's getting colder." Kaiba reminded.

"Ok. Are you coming, daddy?" Kisara asked optimistically.

Kaiba frowned, deep in thought. "No… I have to pick up something at the resort…"

* * *

Joey pricked up a soft brown ear as he awoke from his nap inside the warm cottage, the soft padding of the tiny feet of a small furry rodent had woke him up, and the noise-maker had caught his attention. Lifting up a curious head, through partially blinded eyes, a particular squirrel, carrying a large ridiculously large item for it came into view.

It wasn't the first time the teenage puppy had seen squirrels. His master's backyard had a few of these little fur balls. But he was never allowed to chase them or make friends with them.

Padding softly over to the little red ball of fur, he eyed the squirrels for a few moments, watching it stuff an impossible number of popcorns into its already bulging mouth and loading some more onto the ring and attempting to carry everything.

Rising himself on his back legs, Joey rested his front paws on the coffee table where the squirrel, popcorn and chips were sitting.

* * *

It didn't take long for Jono to find out that ice-skating meant wearing tight uncomfortable shoes with blades attached to the soles and skating on a large panel of ice that was so rough that falling down could scrape enough skin for him to make a triplet.

A glance across the frozen lake didn't make him any happier either. Seth and Kisara were quite happily holding hands and skating around in small circles. Harpy, on the other hand, already an expert at ice-skating and all other forms of sports, was trying out backwards skating tactics.

"Some brother," the little blonde grumbled, feeling somewhat betrayed. Trust Seth to dump him and his lousy ice-skating skills at a corner. And as if it weren't enough, there was this other older kid skating near him, showing off superb skating skills and skid-braking so that pieces of ice and water scraped off by the blades kept showering onto him. He had just wanted to tell him to bug off and leave him alone, but the kid was really much much bigger than him, in size.

He pushed off a few inches, almost unbalancing himself and falling backwards onto his bottom again. The little blonde held out both hands to balance himself, meditating revenge on that big kid who had once again, skid to a halt just two noses away from him, purposely, and showered him with plenty of cold ice.

He contemplating how he could make him fall, just a bit, or maybe he could get Kisara and Harpy to help him. They were both very good skaters unlike him and Seth, who were first time skaters. Or maybe… even better… Brown eyes glowed mischievously as they caught a glimpse of a very uneven plane of ice just two feet away. If he could work himself over to behind the spot, when the big kid came skating over again, he just might fall.

Grinning to himself, Jono waddled over as best as he could, careful not to fall himself as he approached the roughened ice. Beyond the rough ice were smooth, nice ice, perfect for him to practice ice-skating. If he could make it there –

Wham!

The ice had loomed up before him before he even knew he had slipped. But well, at least he had fallen forward or else Kisara would be harping at him again that falling backwards could result in very bad head injuries.

But that didn't prevent him from knocking his jaw, front teeth and immediately subsequently, his nose onto the ice, though fortunately not too hard and therefore keeping his teeth in his head. He thought he almost heard a crack coming from his nose as pain shot through it, only to be slowly numbed from the following pulsing pain and the ice ground.

Warm, coppery liquid seemed to flow out of his nose.

Gasping, he pushed himself of the floor to see a pool of blood where his face had landed and more flowing down his face and wetting his jacket. He could also see people around with turning to see him and gasping at the sight.

Tears immediately filling his eyes as the horror struck him, he whimpered and started wailing away as Seth, Kisara and Harpy came rushing over, paled from the horrifying sight.

* * *

Ring.

Corn.

Ring.

Corn.

Ring.

Dropping the corn for the twentieth time, the squirrel picked up the ring.

Corn.

Before dropping it again and going for the corn.

Corn or ring?

Its pea-sized mind could not decide whether the food or the new nest could ensure its survival for the upcoming winter.

But its acute nose told it that there was an odd scent in the air. That was when a large brown paw pawed at it.

* * *

Kisara, Harpy and Seth gazed despondently at Jono as he sat on the examination table in a small clinic in the snow resort. After the incident, Harpy had immediately took off to find the adults and came back with her father, who managed to keep his smile and laughs under control as much as he could, pick up the crying boy in his arms, and with the rest of the worried children in tow, took off to the clinic at the resort.

Once the blood had been washed away, it didn't look quite so bad. Given, Jono's nose was still quite red, having scraped some skin off the tip of it in his fall. Besides that, all he had was a fat, cut lip and scrapes and bruises over his arms.

"A bruised nose," the doctor had assured after the quick examination and cleaning up. "Still, he'll live to be a handsome boy."

The doctor and Harpy's daddy had then disappeared out the clinic to the pharmacy to collect lotions that were to be applied on Jono's bruises and cuts, leaving the four children to stare at Jono's swelling nose.

An unconvinced Harpy was the first to speak as she eyed Jono warily, "You know, what if your nose grow crooked?"

"Crooked!" Seth and Kisara's eyes widened in sheer horror.

Jono gasped and his had immediately flew up to his nose to check for strange bumps or angles. "No way!"

"Well, Rudolph," Harpy continued, "you had better measure the angle of your nose everyday and make sure it's growing up straight. I heard from my classmates about this other classmate's cousin' uncle's god-daughter's friend's kid who broke her nose and her nose has never been quite straight anymore. She doesn't look quite as pretty as previously anymore."

"But that's different, "Seth pointed out quickly, though a tinge of uncertainty lingered, "She broke her nose, Jono only bruised it…. Right?"

"And the doctor said Jono's nose would be okay!" Kisara added, "He said Jono would grow up to be a handsome boy."

"In front of us, of course." Harpy shook her head, "But who knows what he's telling my daddy when they leave the room."

Sighing briefly, Harpy's head fell as she added quietly, "What a pity…"

"What's so pitiful? My nose?" Jono grumbled.

"Nothing! You're not supposed to eavesdrop!"

"Eavesdrop?" A bewildered Jono shot back. It was enough that his nose was bruised and that it might even grow out crooked, and now Harpy was being quite unreasonable! "There are no eaves to drop! Besides, you were speaking so loudly everyone could hear-"

"Pity that Jono wouldn't grow up as handsome as you want him to be?" Harpy interrupted suddenly, a grin on her face.

"Kisara!" Harpy gave a little shriek as her face turned a few shades of red.

Jono blinked. "Ohhhhh."

* * *

Joey watched as the squirrel dropped the ring and scampered off quickly out the window.

Curious, he pawed the ring and managed to sweep it right off the table to his feet.

There was master's scent on it. In other words, it belonged to his master. Licking the cool metal, he began nibbling on the hard odd shape that reminded him of his cheese ring tidbits, only harder, and cooler and tasteless.

Was it really tasteless? The dog lapped it up into its mouth with his nimble tongue and held it in its mouth for a while, wondering if the metallic was only a casing like ice which will melt away with time and heat.

It doesn't.

Disappointed, he rolled over with the ring still in his mouth, wondering when Master will come looking for it.

A shadow of red and fur scuttles across the table-the squirrel!

Rolling back onto his feet, he jumped out of the same window the squirrel had entered and just disappeared again and immediately caught sight again of the squirrel near his master's friend's car.

Taking off after the squirrel, it was only after a few rounds that it occurred to him how insensible it was to run around with a something solid and small in his mouth.

Master's ring could wait. He would just leave it here in front of the car for a moment, and be back for it later after he had either made a friend of the squirrel, or made a meal of it.

* * *

Jounouchi watched from afar as Kaiba slowly scanned the metal detector over the stretch of snow for on one of the seven, or was it nine intermediate slopes. No doubt the perfectionist was too stubborn to give up finding the lost ring yet. In fact, Kaiba was so resolute in finding the ring that Jounouchi was beginning to feel more than guilty.

Kaiba had pressed him on the locations where the ring had been dropped, before retrieving a metal detector from Varon's car boot and began scanning for the ring. The taller man hadn't shown signs of anger, at least not facially, but Jounouchi knew that when the CEO was not speaking and held a poker face, the bet was that he was mad. Not incensed, but definitely more than annoyed.

To speak the truth, Jounouchi would have been more than happy to give up the search for the ring already, if Kaiba hadn't looked so determined.

"He's still searching huh." Mai interrupted his thoughts as she approached him.

"Mai." Jounouchi greeted.

"Stubborn man." Mai commented with a toss of her long blond tresses over her shoulders.

"You are more headstrong than he is." Jounouchi quipped lightly.

"Now what has it got to do with me?"

"When are you going to forgive Varon?"

"Never!"

"Ever?"

"…"

"Honestly Mai, you're making things very difficult for the three of you."

"Hmf." Mai snorted, frowning.

"One question, do you want him in your life?" Jounouchi prompted, "He's no doubt part of Harpy's life, after all, he's her dad."

"Or would you prefer a life without him? The both of could just take different lanes, though he'll still remain as Harpy's father." Jounouchi continued, "It'll be much easier if you would make up your mind."

Mai appeared thoughtful. "Desirable as it may be to have someone at home when I get home, Varon isn't my cup of tea."

"Even if Varon loves you so much?"

"More than who? You?" Mai scoffed, "I hate it when men push women around according to who loves her more. That's just so Jean-Claude Magnum."

"Jean Claude Magnum couldn't hold a candle to Varon!" Jounouchi argued.

"Well then, Jou," Mai stepped towards him to look him in the eye, "if Varon loved me less that you did, would you have married me? And if I tell you now that I love you more than Kaiba would ever will, will you marry me too?"

Mai's eye pressed on insistently for an answer.

For an instant, Jounouchi felt belittled.

He had no idea what to say, because Mai had a certain point in her words. Love wasn't a competition of who loved who more, was it? It had to be a mutual attraction…

"I…" He stammered, at a lost for words.

"Hmf," Mai softened her gaze and turned away. "You're hanging around Kaiba too long."

"How so?"

"You're becoming chauvinist."

Jounouchi shot back, "Am not!"

Mai smirked, "We'll see about that in a few more months with the both of you together."

Jounouchi barely managed a shot back when a despondent voice broke into their conversation.

"Daddy…"

Surprised, Jounouchi turned to the owner of the voice- to see Jono tugging his pants, looking like the loser in a Duel Monsters Shadow Game. His little boy's nose was obviously bruised and red like a emergency light, his upper lip had swollen to nearly twice its normal size and he was also shivering slightly from the wet clothes even though there was a huge black jacket draped over him.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" Jounouchi almost screamed, his eyes following Jono's gaze to Varon, Harpy, Kisara and Seth who were slowly trudging slowly over.

"I fell in the ice skating ring, daddy."

When Varon was close enough, Jounouchi turned to him for an explanation since Jono didn't seem to want to elaborate.

"He fell on the ice and bruised his nose." Varon explained, watching in annoyance at Mai who had mechanically shifted at least five feet away before deciding to disappear from the scene completely. "The clinic gave him some lotions for his cuts and bruises. But he'll be alright."

He paused, before continuing, "And I'll suggest you try convincing the kids that Jono's nose is not going to grow crooked. They're absolutely convinced about that."

"Oh. Okay." Jounouchi managed to muster a reply as he eyed Jono's nose. As a veterinarian, he was at least confident enough to say bruises were alright. Still, a trip to the hospital to check for cracks when they went back to Domino City was inevitable.

"Thanks Varon."

"Er…" Varon paused, "Did Mai say anything about me?"

Jounouchi blinked, uncertain of his reply.

"Yes she did."

"Oh."

"But I'm not going to tell you."

"Oh."

"Because I don't think those words are what she really think."

"Oh."

The last 'oh' sounded rather depressed. Varon probably guessed rightly that what Mai said weren't too nice.

"Daddy?"

Saved by Jono. Jounouchi turned to his son.

"Yes, Jono?'

"Will my nose grow crooked?"

Jounouchi sighed. The ring would have to wait.

* * *

The sun was about to set behind the mountains when Kaiba finally stopped his hopeless search. It was fruitless to search for one ring, in this huge blanket of snow by himself. There was of course several alternatives and solution to his problem. He could easily purchase any similar ring and hope never to see the old ring again. He could also order the resort's staff to help in the search, there were enough staff with spare to turn up every single rock and stone as well as dig up 1 feet of snow to check if the ring was buried beneath, only it meant breaking the rules he and Jounouchi had initially set up on this 'domestic trip'

His puppy was currently, sitting at the stairs leading up the porch of the cabin, still consoling the younger of the twins, who only appeared to be getting more upset by the hour with Harpy ranting on about how her classmate's cousin' uncle's god-daughter's friend's kid's nose grew to be crooked. Kaiba didn't buy the story about this 'classmate's cousin' uncle's god-daughter's friend's kid who broke her nose' and grew up to have a crooked nose. Any information like that was bound to be a faux or an urban legend.

He considered calling the staff, but Jounouchi threw him an angry glare as soon as he caught him picking up his cellphone.

"I'm calling the staff." He mouthed insistently.

Jounouchi frowned, obviously reluctant.

"There are higher chances of finding the ring with more people." Kaiba reasoned. Seth, Harpy and Kisara, upon hearing a certain strain in his voice, conveniently excused themselves. Even Jono decided that he needed to go to the toilet to check on his nose and quickly disappeared into the cabin, leaving the two adults out at the porch.

"It's almost night, give your staff a break." Jounouchi replied, then added more quietly. "Besides, it's not THAT important.

Kaiba almost scowled, but decided to ignore his puppy's latter remark. After all, they each had an eventful day. "My staff will have to be digging though seven feet of snow if they only start finding it tomorrow."

"Look, even if you call the entire staff from Kaiba Corporation, I doubt they could find anything. It could be out there anywhere!" Jounouchi argued.

"Oh really, we'll see." Kaiba shot back as he sauntered towards his car. Jounouchi obviously underestimated his authority and the number of employees, capable and incompetent ones, that Kaiba Corporation hired. It wasn't necessary for him to travel to the resort and request for staff personally. A call could have done and equally well job, but appearing in his physical form would show the urgency and importance of the mission he was about to give them. Besides, it allowed him to handpick worthy staff.

Boots crunching through snow behind him told Kaiba that Jounouchi was following him from behind.

"I thought we agreed on not using your authority on this trip!" Jounouchi almost yelled from behind. "Where are you going!"

"Getting backups." Kaiba replied, quickening his pace and rounding the car to the driver's seat.

"No, you're no-" Jounouchi's voice was cut off once he slammed closed his door and started the engine.

Kaiba frowned. Yeah, choice number 1, he could easily remake a replacement ring, but at least he could attempt to find it.

A panting Jounouchi pulled open the door to the front passenger seat and hopped in before Kaiba could stop him. He grimaced as the snow from Jounouchi's boots landed on his car floor.

"You're not going." Jounouchi snarled.

"Yes I am." Kaiba shot back. "And I suggest you close the door."

He barely allowed Jounouchi time to shut the door before he pressed down on the accelerator, the Hyundai Matrix shot out from his parking place-

And fell headfirst into the snow pit that was yet to harden despite the long hours since it was refilled. Or rather, it was never going to harden as, unknown the Kaiba and Jounouchi; the kids had purposely left an air pocket in the pit, hoping the car would lurch into it when they were preparing to go home the next day.

Kaiba was saved by his seatbelt, but hanging on his chair by a leather seatbelt half choking him and seemingly wanting to force his meal right out of him definitely wasn't comfortable. He would have trade places with Jounouchi, who was groaning as he lay sprawled forward on the dashboard, dazed but alive and unhurt.

"Awwwww…" Jounouchi's winces only made him guilty. His puppy's current situation was a result of the failure to wear seat belts, or to be more accurate, he hadn't exactly given his puppy any time to wear seat belts.

"You alright, pup?" Kaiba asked as he carefully balanced himself and unbuckled his seatbelt, landing smoothly a few feet away onto the slanted dashboard beside his puppy.

"Yeah nothing broken, just next time, would you at least let me wear the seat-belts before taking off?" Jounouchi complained as he pulled himself up into a sitting position beside him.

Peering out of the windshield, it dawned on Kaiba that the front part of the car was almost half submerged in the snow. Deep white hardened snow almost met the height of the top of the car, leaving barely 2 inches of visibility of the land level of the snow. The back half of the car was still above land though and Kaiba decided they should have no trouble getting out of the car from the back passenger door or from the boot door.

"How about you, anything brok-" Jounouchi paused.

Kaiba followed Jounouchi's gaze through the windshield to the land level of snow.

Where a shiny silver ring sat, sparkling lightly in the last dying rays of the sun.

Jounouchi's lips curved into a smile.

"Told you we didn't need your staff-"

A smile creep quietly onto Kaiba's face, but he nonchalantly argued, "You didn't know it was there until we landed in this heap."

"Yeah, but we would have seen it if we just gave up and headed back to the house. While walking right pass the car, we would have seen it." Jounouchi argued.

"Hmpf." Kaiba grunted, deciding to lose the argument for good. He would rather get out of the car as soon as possible and retrieve the ring.

A flurry of red suddenly caught his and Jounouchi's attention as it scrambled down their windshield and pounced onto ring, sniffing it cautiously.

Kaiba's eyes widened. Beside him, Jounouchi seemed just as surprised.

A second later, the squirrel picked up the ring, glanced over at the car with a seemingly evil grin and scrambled off with the ring…

* * *

**NG of the chapter:**

"Shorty, see that slope over there?" Kaiba finally said, deciding that he had to do something about Yugi's prior challenging sentence.

Yugi glared hard at the taller man.

Fight.

**Authors' Rantings**

1) As a gentle reminder, the story was begun before the ending of YGO was published. Yami and Yugi, Bakura and Ryou are considered to have merged into one, so their characters would show a combined character. Or, readers can also reason it as such that Yugi and Ryou, having matured, have both developed characters similar to their yamis.

2) Jean-Claude Magnum. In episode 80 of the anime, the ninja actor who forces Mai to marry him.

3) It's very similar to Auto-Flush, because that chapter was a re-written version of this chapter. We threw this chapter out of the window half-way through it and decided to rewrite it. But we thought some parts in it were still very interesting and decided to post it as a Christmas & New Year Special, except there's no New Year or Christmas aspects in the story. Just take it as a simple drabble, a very long one.

4) Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year


	21. Chapter 18: Unexpected

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 18: Unexpected**

_Note: Continues from chapter 17. Please take note that the previous chapter is the __Christmas & New Year Special._

* * *

The morning sunshine stabbed at his skin painfully where his low collar could not cover, Katsuya Jounouchi stood hunched over his Outlander. Balancing the small mobile phone between his ear and shoulder, Jounouchi predicted that a neckache along with a backache later in the day was inevitable, "Now, you said, look for the carburetor… how exactly does it look like?"

Honda, at the other end of the line, sounded as tired and irritated as he was. He hadn't planned on bothering him, knowing that he was probably dog-tired currently, considering that the great detective of Domino City had been sleeplessly busy for the last three days cracking one huge fraud case that could propel his reputation to that of the city's greatest playboy, Mokuba Kaiba.

But when his car had broken down like 25 metres away from his shop, leaving him to push it all the way to its usual parking place beside Puppy Love with help from some kind passer-bys, Honda had somehow gotten the news, no doubt from his ever efficient team of detectives stationed all over the city and immediately called him for a over-the-phone car repair service.

Jounouchi was more than thankful to whatever powers-be-it which existed up there for the existence of his best friend Honda who existed to help him at all times. Nonetheless, as much as he appreciated having such a wonderful friend, Jounouchi would rather have sent his car to the repair shop. He was no idiot to mend and repair- he could fix lights, do plumbing and repair stuff, but cars were a complete aliened species that he couldn't really be bothered to work out. Not in his last twenty eight years of life, and not in another millennium unless he sprouted another head.

Sighing at his friend's overly dramatic concern, the young man hunched over once more to examine the engine. "Look Honda, I really appreciate your help but black and round is not very damned specific. I think I'll just send it to – Yugi? I would have asked Yugi but he's in the hospital looking after his grandfather-"

"Why is his grandfather in the—" Honda's shocked gasp immediately warned Jounouchi that he had made a mistake in thinking that the detective, with his huge spy network, would have known about Yugi's grandfather's sudden stroke the night before.. Guilt crawled over him as Jounouchi was reminded that Yugi had specifically instructed him to keep the matter a secret so as not to worry the gang, who were recently all caught up with their lives.

"He came down with something, but he's… alright for now," Jounouchi lied, "Yugi and Anzu didn't want you and the rest of the gang to worry so they chose not to inform most of us. Look, I think I'll just call the repair shop for my car- No, he's all right. And you don't have to come down, really. Anyway, best wishes for the case, I'm sure you can crack it pal! And I'll keep you updated about Grandfather. And erm, try to keep it from the rest of the gang, kay?"

Before Honda could give a reply, Jounouchi cut the line quickly and slipped the phone into his doctor's coat's pocket.

Sighing, much from exhaustion and relief from having escaped Honda's concern and questions, he slammed the hood cover shut, deciding that enough was enough, when the boot popped open without warning. He had barely drawn in a breath when the hood cover flew open abruptly, this time, with smoke fuming out from a particular black and round carburetor.

"Urg!!!" Jounouchi screeched and threw up in his hands in exasperation. Anyone looking at the scene would have found the sight bizarre with a veterinarian cursing aloud in his doctor's coat standing before a smoking car, with his face and hands blackened with oil.

"Having a bad day huh?"

Jounouchi jumped and turned around to see who was interrupting at such an inappropriate moment.

His irritation was gone the moment once he saw the familiar long blonde hair, sweet smile and a growing stomach.

"Shizuka! You're supposed to be on leave! Dad will kill me if he knows I'm letting you come here." Jounouchi smiled.

Looking guilty, Shizuka replied with a wide smile, "Can't help it. I was getting bored at home so I thought I might just as well pop down to see how the shop is doing."

"The shop is fine. Everything is fine. The pets are happy and the new shop assistant loves her work." Jounouchi assured, wiped his blackened hands on his coat, further dirtying it and earning a reproachful look from his sister.

"You're dirtying your coat!" Shizuka lectured.

Jounouchi shrugged. "It's just a coat. I have more of it"

His sister gave him a last scowl before a bright smile burst out on her face.

"Are you having a big date with Kaiba later today?"

Jounouchi frowned.

"What makes you think so?"

"Your clothes, underneath that unforgivably dirty coat." She pointed out. "You usually don't wear them unless you have something important coming up."

"Nah, just thought I should wear them once in a while before they start fermenting in my wardrobe." He replied quietly, running a finger down along the blue cotton shirt absently as he did so. He seldom wore them, except for special occasions. The suit was of high quality pure cotton from some high end brand, clothes that Jounouchi would never bought considering the tendency of dirtying his clothes in his line of job. But Seto… Kaiba had insisted he looked good in it, and had swiped out his credit card before Jounouchi could oppose. He hadn't want to wear them… didn't want to be reminded of Seto… whom he had barely seen for the last few days.

He changed the topic quickly, "So, how're the two dragons doing?"

"You have to ask every single day, don't you?" Shizuka paused and then returned a slightly embarrassed smile. It had been a week since Shizuka revealed that she was expecting twins. It was evidential that twins ran in their genes, but the two would-be-parents refused to reveal whether the pair was boys or girls. "They're perfectly well, just getting a little heavy. And Otogi is now busy painting the children's room…."

"Sounds like the perfect father to me." Jounouchi commented, and then decided that he couldn't give Otogi so much credit. After all he was talking about a man who took away his beloved sister. "Not as good as me, though."

"Ha!" Shizuka teased, "You're the one who didn't even know you had kids until the twins showed up on your doorstep!"

"Yeah yeah. Alright I'm the big asshole." Jounouchi made a face. "Get into the shop; it's getting too warm out here. I don't want to imagine carrying three people in when you faint from the heat."

"I'm not that heavy!" Shizuka protested but willingly stepped into the shop with Jounouchi in tow.

"So what's going on between you and Kaiba? I called Dad earlier today, and mom number two said that you don't seem to be seeing him recently." Shizuka commented, giving a quick smile at her new temporary replacement.

"We are…." He drifted off and decided to stop there, hoping that Shizuka would be too preoccupied walking around the pet shop looking at the pets to notice.

It was a few seconds before Shizuka realized he was not about to continue his sentence.

"We are…?" Shizuka echoed.

"We are…." He removed his stained coat. "Not seeing each other for a while."

"And why not?" Shizuka didn't seem surprised, just genuinely curious.

Throwing the coat into laundry basket, he muttered, "We had a small fight at Kaiba Corp the other day, followed by a small reconciliation. And then we decided to stop seeing each other for a while. Got some issues to think about. And by the time I noticed, we've drifted apart."

"Drifted apart?" Shizuka echoed. "The spark is gone?"

Jounouchi shrugged and flopped down onto his chair, "I don't know."

"Are you going to do anything about it?" His sister probed.

"That… is the problem." Jounouchi sank back into his chair and closed his tired eyes. He could feel Shizuka looking at him intently.

"_Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you._

"_Are you leaving me?"_

Kaiba's voice echoed from the depths of his memory. Not very far away. It was kept within reach of whichever part of his brain that processed memories for convenience since he had been thinking of it endlessly.

Are you asking me to leave you?

"_We can use a little more time and space to think about our relationship."_

To think about their relationship, meant to think about whether or not he should leave.

He almost wanted to laugh out bitterly.

The only time Kaiba actually left the authority over their relationship in his hands, was for him to decide whether or not to end it.

Maybe he should just flush the relationship down the toilet bowl.

Like the ring.

Which, as if by a stroke of fate, dropped into his new auto-flush toilet bowl and was gone before neither of them could react from their shock.

He had no idea to laugh or to cry at that sight, and Kaiba had secured his loosening towel by then.

"I'll get some tools. The ring might still be stuck somewhere in the system." He had then finally said, reaching for the door.

Kaiba had then grabbed his arm from behind.

"_Forget it, Katsuya. Remember what I said, think about it."_

"_Uh-huh... I guess so."_ Jounouchi remembered faintly saying that, before Kaiba's grip on him loosen and the taller man pushed him out of the bathroom.

He had no idea how long he stood outside the bathroom door, but it wasn't long before Kaiba came out of it fully clothed and barely even glanced at him before walking down the stretch to the living room.

Jounouchi had found himself following quietly behind and unexpectedly shocked when Kaiba announced that he had an emergency to attend to and couldn't stay for dinner. Even when Kisara had begged to be left behind, the man had bundled his daughter up and left quietly, leaving behind the Jounouchi household in mild shock and curiosity.

Two weeks had passed since then.

He had rethought their relationship and problems over and over again every day and night until he suffered an incurable headache that did not go away until he fell asleep.

The first day after their last meeting, Jounouchi had instantly realized that Kaiba meant to avoid him when they did not meet in school. After school, Mokuba or some other trusted Kaiba Corp employee would pick up the young princess.

If by that action, Kaiba meant not to influence his consideration over their possible split, it only angered and confused him more.

Every single day.

Everyday, when he sent the children to school, and not see Kaiba there, he had to take a very deep breath to keep his face calm.

Somewhere in his chest felt uneasy when he did not see him.

The reruns in the afternoon only worsened his unease, and agitated him.

Until today, he was actually slightly happy having found Kisara not in school yet when he dropped the kids off and contemplated waiting a while to meet him, even though he had no answers to give yet.

Yet at the last minute, he couldn't imagine how to face him when they met.

It was awkward.

He drove off.

And as if it was punishment for his uncharacteristic escape, his car broke down, he couldn't fix it and now his sister was questioning him about his relationship with Kaiba.

"Are you there?"

Jounouchi snapped back into reality at Shizuka's irritated voice. "Yeah, what?"

"Good, because I don't want to have to repeat myself again." His sister crossed her arms.

"Oh. You were saying something?"

"Yesss. I was saying, that," Shizuka hissed at him in mild annoyance. "You're not going to like what I am about to say."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm not against you and Kaiba together, but I'm not totally into you with him either. And you know what Mom and the other parents think too." She said, waving her hands around as if referencing the parents.

"I know."

"Some of us may seem really supportive of you two together. As in, 'as long as you're happy, we're okay with it'. But really, Brother." Shizuka looked at him in the eye. "I think that many of us feel that it is better for you to be with someone more… feminine."

Jounouchi swallowed hard.

"Yeah, I know. I just…" he drifted off.

He didn't know what to say.

"But!" Shizuka interrupted with a small smile. "If you really like him…"

She paused to fish out a sparkly women's magazine from her bag and stared at the front cover for a few moments before shifting her gaze back onto him. "The way I see it, Kaiba Seto is one really attractive fish in the sea, and he's been biting your bait for quite a while."

"But if you don't reel in your line…" She continued, "There's no guarantee he won't just leave."

With that, Jounouchi watched as his sister pushed the magazine across the table. Kaiba's face, under the large caption 'Domino City's Most Eligible Bachelor of the Year' frowned accusingly at him. He reached for the magazine found himself scowling back at the magazine.

"This," he declared as he pulled back his arm. "Is a total piece of crap!"

The magazine flew across the length of the shop with some pages fluttering behind it as Kaiba's face approached the door—

When the door swung opened.

_Whack!_

"Ohmyface!"

Shocked, Jounouchi raised his head to see the moaning customer.

"Malik?!"

* * *

The Egyptian shorty couldn't possibly be in Domino City.

Or could he?

A slight irritation surged through Kaiba Seto as he spun his fountain pen round and round in his hand, perfecting the habit which he picked up since high school.

The offending question had been bugging him since ten minutes earlier when his chauffeur had to make a huge swerve on the road two streets away from Jounouchi's vet. It killed his initial happier mood and thought of dropping by Puppy Love to talk to Jounouchi as well as caused him to spill his coffee, fortunately, onto nothing important. The cause of the near-accident was a crazy silver-haired man who dashed across the road in a manner that totally deserved him a run over.

Kaiba would have gladly ordered his chauffeur to U-turn back and run down the ungrateful jay-walker but ultimately, decided that disposing the corpse was too much the trouble. The young man, who smoothly escaped certain gruesome death by less than an inch, had threw back a quick glance at the car before dashing off to wherever he was due.

And in that quick glance, Kaiba thought he recognized he man.

But he couldn't be positive either.

Silvery long hair, tanned brown skin, tattoos and a short stature.

If it was Malik, there had to be a reason for him to come in Domino City, Kaiba reasoned.

He flipped through his organizer as if it would give him some clues.

And indeed it did.

Scribbled across in Mokuba's cursives: _The Pharaoh's Exhibition, next week, optional attendance._

_That_ would explain if the silver hairball he just seen was really Malik.

If it was Malik….

Kaiba frowned.

There were no reasons for him to feel the sudden unease that had suddenly surged upon him. Malik had no direct relations to him or Jounouchi and was not supposed to be a concern to him, less a threat to him. Yet his sharp sixth sense nagged at him for some catastrophe that may occur with the appearance of Malik.

Frowning harder, Kaiba found himself recalling the episode when Malik's evil self or whatever multiple personality, had attempted to wipe out Jounouchi from the surface of Earth. But all these were over ten years ago, weren't they? And whatever those multiple personalities or ancient personals were, they should have faded away by now. He had then never really questioned Yugi or Bakura's split personalities and one day, it seemed both just merged into one. It was to his benefit that humans have a wonderful ability to deny anything they declined to acknowledge.

Deciding that there was nothing really much he could reap from thinking so much into the matter, he push the uneasiness aside, turned back to his organizer and grimaced at the schedule.

He had two meetings coming up and he didn't like it.

Meetings were generally time-consuming, energy-depleting and not necessarily productive.

Throwing the organizer aside, he checked his watch to make sure that he was on time. He usually didn't have big problems with timings since his reliable chauffeur almost always gets him on time.

This morning, however, he wasn't that sure, due to the accursed jaywalker and a troublesome Kisara.

The young Egyptian girl had slept in late, and then fallen back to sleep after he had woken her up, repeatedly until he threatened to throw away her Kuribo Family Adventures DVD set. After that, she had somehow worn her school uniform inside-out and tangled her hair impossibly. After Kaiba finally had her dressed properly and brushed her hair back into its normal state as much as possible, she had upset the milk for breakfast before declaring that she couldn't find her homework due that day.

It took them a few minutes to search for and give up searching for the homework until Kaiba decided to just write an excuse letter for her. Immediately after finishing writing it, Kisara instantly declared having found it in the bathroom, and she had no idea how it got there.

Kaiba closed his eyes.

Kisara's motive was obvious. Over the last few days, Kaiba had shifted their schedules twenty minutes earlier, resulting in Kisara reaching the school much earlier than usual. Kisara had complained about reaching too early, because it meant 20 minutes of boring waiting for her best buddies to arrive.

His daughter was also smart enough to figure out her daddy's purpose in arriving early, which was the complete opposite of her own wishes. Her daddy was avoiding her buddies, or rather their caregiver.

Hence, his young daughter decided to play back his game at him, and almost won it.

They neared the school much later than they usually would, in time to see Jounouchi's car pulling out of the school carpark and turning down the next corner. While Kisara sighed loudly at having missed her uncle Jounouchi again, Kaiba had said nothing...

_Katsuya_

He missed him.

Walking along the walkway to the carpark after dropping Kisara off at the classroom., he found himself breathing in the air deeply, as if seeking scents of sweet vanilla mixed with the musky aroma of animals in the air that could have been left behind.

And when he thought he did smell a faint scent, he couldn't help but smile.

Bitterly.

* * *

"Do you always try to kill your customers when you're in a bad mood?"

Jounouchi cringed as he watched Malik disappear under the hood cover again, "No I don't, unless some particular Egyptian who once tried to kill me enters my shop- Aw!"

A kick at his shin by the Egyptian stopped Jounouchi and Jounouchi smartly changed the topic, "Say, what are you doing here?"

"So much for repairing your car! Can't I visit Domino City and its inhabitants once in a while?" Malik snorted.

"Yeah you can, just wondering…."

"I'm here for The Pharaoh's Exhibition." Malik explained as he poked a dirty face out from under the hood, "Isis is in charged for it, but she's held up in another exhibition in Prague for now. I'm here on her behalf until she can come down next week."

"I see… So who's hosting you now?"

"Kaiba Corp. Grand Hotel. Biggest hotel in all of Domino." Malik grunted with a huge grin splashed across his face, "And why not? The exhibition's sponsor, Kaiba Corp, is paying for it."

"Oh." Jounouchi briefly wondered if all conversations in Domino City would inevitably include something about Kaiba and his company. Maybe he should consider taking a short holiday outside of Domino City… "How does my car look?"

"Not too bad, I think I can get it back and running in say… another two seconds," Malik replied absently as his fingers ran along wires and the black and round object that Jounouchi finally identified as the carburetor.

Finally, the grease-stained Egyptian slammed the hood shut and beamed, "Give it a try."

Obligingly, Jounouchi got into his car and turned the key. The two were greeted by the healthy roar of the engine.

"Whoa, it lives!" Jounouchi popped his head out of the window. "Thanks a million pal!"

"No sweat." Malik gave him a thumb-up, "Erm, say, have you got a set of spare clothes I can change into?"

Yep." Jounouchi grinned and got out of his car. "I keep a spare set of clothes in my car."

_"I have spare sets in the car for circumstances like this."_

Jounouchi found himself trying his best to keep his smile from fading away. Since when had he picked up the habit from Kaiba?

Ignoring the strange throbbing in his chest, he unlocked his boot and retrieved a set of clean clothes for Malik.

"A hundred life-points for your thoughts?" Malik probed innocently.

"Uh…. nothing." He smiled weakly. "Oh right, I was thinking, maybe we can have a gathering or something to celebrate your arrival?"

Malik grinned. "Sounds good."

* * *

"Jono, watch it."

"Oops…" Jono muttered sheepishly, as the three kids observed the white milky mess that was now pooling all over Seth and Jono's joined desks. Miss Yamato, their form teacher hurried over quickly and proceeded to clean up the spilled milk, but not before passing another cup of milk to the instantly distraught boy.

"Not another glass of milk!" He groaned as Miss Yamato gave a stern look before hurrying over to the other side of the classroom to prevent another food disaster. He hated milk, especially plain milk with no strawberry or chocolate flavors to go with them. They always left a horrible taste after drinking them. His dad knew his distaste for it and their fridge usually contained only chocolate or strawberry milk, but the school's weekly nutritional meal sets always included them and there were no escape.

"But milk is nice," Kisara pointed out, completely amused at Jono's weekly conspiracies to get rid of his milk. He had attempted watering the class rose at the back of the class last week, almost succeeding in permanently maiming the poor plant; tried flinging the milk out of the window into the school yard while Miss Yamato was not looking, only to douse the principal who was walking pass the week before…but Miss Yamato was undeterred and always made sure Jono received an extra cup of milk every Friday when they had their Nutritional meals. "Girls who drink milk are prettier and have nicer complexion. And it makes you grow up faster and stronger! That's what my daddy always says."

"I bet that's why your daddy looks so pretty." Jono sighed.

"Daddy doesn't drink milk." Kisara corrected. "He drinks coffee. He says that men should drink coffee."

"But our daddy drinks milk too, and only drinks coffee once in a while." Jono replied, "Does that make half man half girl?"

"Hmmm" Kisara mused. "I guess that makes him a boy like you and not a man!"

"No way!!!" Jono yelled, "My dad is a great man!"

"Oh yes way! If Daddy marries your daddy, he will become my new mommy!" Kisara pointed out curtly.

"In your dreams Kisara! When my daddy marries your daddy, your daddy will be our new mommy!" Jono retorted.

"Oh, you wait!" Kisara yelled.

"There's no way our daddy—"

"Jono, Kisara!" Seth pounded the table, visibly annoyed, "Can we get back to topic? We were talking about how to get our dads together!"

Kisara and Jono glared at each other before Kisara heaved a sigh of defeat, and the two noisier kids stopped their bantering to concentrate on the very serious matter at hand.

The three good friends had noticed their fathers' reluctance to meet or mention one another over the course of the last few days. It was more than obvious and Kisara was convinced that if they didn't do something soon, their fathers were going to stop seeing each other completely.

And it had all started on the final day of the Annual Senior/Junior High Duel Monsters Kaiba Cup, and no matter how the three had put their heads together; they couldn't recall anything terrible happening between their dads on that day. It was only when Kisara's daddy had came out from the bathroom looking distraughtly calm while the twins' daddy came out of the same bathroom looking calmly distraught, had the three kids caught the first whiff of danger to their alliances of Dragons.

And then Kisara's Dad had then quickly announced that he suddenly had something on and had to made an immediate move; and despite Kisara's plea for a sleepover or to be picked up after her daddy's work had ended, she was roughly bundled up with her bag and thrown into the car and brought back home.

And that was about the last time she saw the twin's father.

Their newly appointed Operations and Intelligence Officer finally spoke. "Private Kisara, report the events of this morning."

"Sir Yes Sir," Kisara pouted, "Private Kisara reporting, that she is ashamed to report that while succeeding in getting her daddy to arrive at school earlier today, she failed to achieve the main objective of letting him meet Sir's daddy. Oh Seth, your daddy left so early today we barely saw him!"

"And to think we've finally gotten Daddy to wear that suit your daddy bought for him…" Jono sighed, "I think my daddy doesn't like your dad anymore."

Kisara gulped in sheer horror, "Does that mean we will never get to play together again anymore?"

"That would be so horrible!" Jono gasped.

"Clam down." Seth commanded. "We can still meet in school after-all."

That only made Kisara gulp even louder. "What if? What if Daddy intends to go back to New York and takes me along?!!"

Seth's eyes bulged.

"I DUN WAN TO BE SEPARATED FROM YOU TWO!!" Kisara's screech rang across the classroom.

"Quiet! Kisara!" Seth quickly cupped his hand over Kisara's mouth. "You are attracting Miss Yamato's attention!"

"But..." Kisara blubbered, genuine worry flashing across her face.

"Did he mention anything like that?" Seth probed.

"I don't know." Kisara moaned. "I haven't been paying much attention to daddy recently. School's been sooooo busy! And waking up 20 minutes earlier mean that I fall asleep 20 minutes earlier…"

"We have no proof that he's taking you away. And anyway, if we can get Daddy and your daddy together, we won't have to worry about this problem." Seth deduced calmly.

"Okay…" Kisara nodded numbly.

"Alright, we have to come up with another plan to make them meet up." Seth continued.

"How?" Jono groaned as he leaned back into his chair and rocked in it, his eyes fixed on the disagreeable milk. "We've tried so hard for today's operation and it still failed."

Seth shrugged. "I have no idea yet... I'm thinking about it. Any ideas?" He turned to Kisara.

"Don't ask me." Kisara pulled her hair both ways. "I'm just as much as lost."

"Maybe..." Jono brightened. "We can get into big trouble, and then our daddies will be asked to come to school again to talk to the teachers and principal. That way they will meet up!"

"Nice one." Seth mumbled. "But I don't think it is a good idea, our daddies won't be happy, and it won't be nice if they can't meet each other happily."

The three kids sighed and fell back into their chairs, their eyes wandering across the classroom looking for inspiration, when Kisara's eyes fell on a messy row of uncompleted clay figurines on a bookshelf at the back of the classroom.

"I've got it!!" She jumped up excitedly.

"What?" Jono jumped up too, looking towards where she was focused on as Seth scowled, signaling at Kisara to keep her voice down.

"Our art project!" Kisara pointed. "If we can get you and Seth to my house later, then your daddy can come and pick the two of you up later. Dad has a meeting later today, but he should be home around 10pm."

Seth nodded, following Kisara's plan. "We can come up with some excuse for us to do the art project together tonight, and then we will drag our project until around 10+, and then when Daddy comes and picks us up, your daddy and our daddy will have a chance to meet. At 10+, it is more than likely that Daddy will pick us up personally."

"Sounds good!" Jono cheered from his chair as he tried to swap his full glass of milk with Seth's empty glass while he wasn't noticing only to sense Miss Yamato's disapproving glare from across the classroom.

"Great!" Kisara jumped excited, "I'll call Daddy later during break and inform him that the two of you will be coming over after school and staying late to finish the project!"

"Oh no…" Jono's groan interrupted their discussion as they looked up to see Miss Yamato heading towards their table, waving her finger at Jono, motioning for him to finish his milk.

Rolling her eyes, Kisara sat down back into her chair and pushed the full glass of milk back in front of Jono.

"Come on, Jono…" she encouraged from her seat, "You can do it. Be a man!"

"No…"Jono moaned as he dropped his head onto the desk.

Kisara sighed, almost defeated, before reaching into her school bag and grabbing out an orange soft toy.

"Here, you can drink it with Baby Dragon." She motioned as she plopped Baby Dragon in front of her half-drank glass of milk.

Jono squinted unhappily at the soft toy. "What makes you think he likes it?"

"Because." Kisara explained proudly, "he wants to grow up to be one strong Thousand Dragon!"

Jono paused.

"I'll be strong," he sighed melodramatically, and began gulping the milk down.

* * *

"Hey, I'm really sorry about it, everyone just seems occupied or something." Jounouchi apologized as he drove out of the hospital's parking lot.

His plan to hold a welcome party for Malik had been met with little enthusiasm. He had given up contacting Mai, Varon and the Kaibas after his first few phone calls proved that everyone was busy with something or another. Bakura's bakery was having a forty-eight hours bake sale and Honda was of course still investigating the fraud case. Otogi was busy painting the children's room while Yugi was definitely in no mood to go for any form of party in his current circumstances.

With nothing else much to do and genuinely concerned for Yugi and his grandfather, Jounouchi and Malik ended up visiting Yugi and his grandfather at the hospital. Their visit was short, because Yugi and Anzu looked like they were beyond exhaustion alternating between taking care of the children at home with help from Anzu's parents and staying at the hospital with Yugi's grandfather.

Nonetheless Yugi had managed to snag a few minutes alone with him for a few exchanges outside the hospital room while Malik made small chat with Anzu in the ward.

"I noticed things haven't been going well between you and Kaiba."

"Oh." That was startling since he had yet to tell anyone about his and Kaiba's awkward relationship except Shizuka that morning. He was going to have to assume that in the few hours, Shizuka had spread the news to the whole world by informing Otogi and Anzu, and Anzu had told Yugi and… Hell, sooner or later the whole gang would know. "Yeah, but it's nothing much to worry."

"Look, I don't want you to be further stressed by my grandfather's condition. I mean, grandfather knows, and we know, he's already coming to an age and well, he might just… any day you know?" Yugi's voice trailed off.

"I know, Yugi, I know." Jounouchi had quietly reassured. Then, with Yugi keep turning down his offer to help watch the children and seeing as to there was nothing else much he could do there, he made Yugi promise to call him if he needed any help before leaving to pick the twins' from school with Malik.

The ride to the twins' school was almost silent except for a few remarks from Malik about how Domino City had changed and some nods and short replies from Jounouchi. Jounouchi was sorry for his lack of response to Malik's babble. Gratefully, Malik did not probe into the matter and merely remained his cheerful self.

When they reached the school, it was another fifteen minutes before the school bell would ring.

"Want a smoke?" Malik finally broke the silence and fished a box of Wild Seven from his pocket. The two of them were sitting in the school carpark waiting along with several other parents in their cars.

Jounouchi seldom smoked anymore, not since Seth told him straight in the eye one day when he was four year old that smoking was bad for the health and he didn't want his daddy to die early because of smoking.

"No, I probably shouldn't." He drew in a deep breath.

"You look like you need one." Malik pressed and popped a lighted cigarette into his mouth. Figuring that he really needed one, Jounouchi breathed in the smoky air and felt the sweet mild taste accompanying the warmth flow down his throat.

"What's with you and Kaiba?" Malik asked casually as he rolled down the windows of the car leaned against the window frame, letting the wind carry away the ashes of the cigarette.

Jounouchi threw a surprised glance at his friend, "Me and Kaiba? Nothing…"

"The walls of the ward aren't that thick, you know." Malik pulled the women's magazine out of his bag, much to Jounouchi's surprise that he even bothered to keep it.

"Oh."

"You're going out with him?" Malik asked, flipping through the pages.

"…. Yeah."

"Problems?"

"A little… but nothing much really." Jounouchi replied, winding down his side of the window for fresh air.

"Oh really? If it's really nothing much you wouldn't be so damned depressed for the whole day." Malik frowned as he flipped the magazine close to glare at the front page title before flipping it opened again. "What kind of a magazine is this? With such a hunk on the cover page, and they didn't even feature an interview with him?"

"Paparazzi magazine." Jounouchi muttered. "And I'm not depressed."

"Not a very efficient paparazzi." Malik commented, squinting at the small commentaries. "It has nothing but some news here and there about his daily life and schedule…"

Jounouchi continued to stare out of the window and barely noticed when Malik's smoking cigarette went flying pass his head to land on the tarmac.

"It doesn't even say anything about his love life!" Malik threw the magazine onto the floor of the car, disgusted.

"I'm not surprised. They won't dare to cross him." Jounouchi mumbled as his eyes wandered off to the school's parking lot's entrance.

The school bell would ring any time now, and Kaiba's car would turn into the parking—

No, it wouldn't.

Jounouchi closed his eyes and breathed in a lungful of smoke.

He had somehow drifted off and imagined them back when they were happier together, when Kaiba would come and pick up the kids, and they will most likely go for a late lunch or tea together and plan to do some things together.

Something warm and wet made its way down his cheek.

And another.

And another.

He opened his eyes to find his view blurry when his face suddenly was suddenly met with a warm, comforting chest.

Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and buried his head deeper in the bear hug.

"It's okay, Jou, you should just cry it out." Malik's fingers combed through his hair softly, "It's alright to cry. Even as adults, even as men, we can cry things out."

With Malik's encouraging words, Jounouchi's closed his eyes and allowed the tears to flow.

* * *

Kisara's eyes widen in horror alongside another two pairs as they burnt holes into a freshly-repaired car and its two occupants, who were sitting and holding each other too closely for their comfort.

"That… is not your daddy, is it?" Kisara asked, shaking her head.

"I hope." Jono answered in dismay as he watched his daddy slowly untangle himself from the silver-haired man after an eternity of watching.

"Was Daddy crying? His eyes look red." Seth asked, but his concern for his daddy was ignored by his buddies who were more concerned about the fact that his daddy was hugging someone other than Kisara's daddy. Though… he couldn't help but also wonder why his daddy had so willingly let the other man hug him.

"He's wearing Daddy's clothes!" Jono drew their attention to the dark blue jeans and t-shirt that appeared over-sized and baggy on the shorter man.

"Who is he?" Kisara asked Jono accusingly.

"How would I know?" Jono grumbled.

Before they could get into a quarrel over accusations, two loud honks from the Outlander summoned the kids.

Half running and half dragging their feet, the three children crossed the carpark.

"No one asks about why Daddy cried okay?" Seth decided as they neared the car.

"Why not?" Kisara perked up, eyes still intently on the stranger that was wearing her potential mommy's clothes.

"Just don't ask!" Seth insisted, and with his glare hard enough to send chills down his twin and best friend's back, the two other quietly agreed and climbed into the backseat.

"No one's picking you up, Kisara?" the twin's father asked, seemingly surprised when Kisara climbed into the car too.

Kisara looked up just as surprised. "I called Daddy earlier. Seth and Jono are coming over to my house for an Art Project due tomorrow. We might have to do it till quite late."

Seth raised a brow to Kisara's skills at lying perfectly calmly since the project was actually distributed only today and due two weeks later. But since it was all in their plans…

"Yeah." He himself added. "It's a really important project.

"Hmm..." His daddy frowned.

"Daddy said he will inform Uncle Mokuba and have him inform you about it." Kisara added. She rolled her eyes as she mentioned Uncle Mokuba. Her daddy was acting childish. He could have just informed Uncle Jounouchi himself instead of having Uncle Mokuba pass the message!

And no doubt, Uncle Mokuba probably forgot all about it.

"Your uncle Mokuba must have forgotten it about it." The twin's father quipped since there were little chances of Kisara's daddy forgetting to inform Uncle Mokuba.

"I'll call your uncle Mokuba and check with him again." The twin's father added, fidgeting with his hands-free set. "By the way, this is Uncle Malik. He's a very old friend of mine, Uncle Yugi, Uncle Honda, even your Uncle Mokuba and your dad, Kisara."

"Really?" Kisara asked, slightly skeptic. She did not like the way Uncle Jounouchi was looking at Malik, before turning to the strange, tanned silver-haired man sitting in the passenger seat in front of her. "So, says Uncle Malik, where are you from? Are you really very very old? You've got really strange white hair!"

Beside her, she could hear Jono stifling back a chuckle while Seth watched her in slight shock over her mild discourtesy.

"Really?" The strange chuckling man turned back in his seat to observe them, his strange light purple eyes causing hair on her neck to rise. "You've got some really pretty light bluish-white hair yourself too, princess. I'm from Egypt, have you been there before?"

Her mouth dropped open slightly as she silenced, mulling over the horror of sharing heritage with him.

As if things could get any worse!

* * *

Jounouchi punched Malik lightly on the thigh as he silently mouthed, "you're scaring her.", while waiting for Mokuba to answer on the other side of the line.

The backseat was now silent and he could see the twins throwing quick glances at Kisara and Malik nervously. But at least, they didn't seem to notice anything about his still runny nose or slightly sore eyes. He didn't feel like he could muster up enough brains to come up with any explanation right then beside the classic 'sand got into my eyes'.

"Good afternoon, Mokuba Kaiba speaking." Mokuba's voice came over from the other side as the irritating ringing ended.

"Hey, Mokuba, Jou here."

"Ohmygosh. I forgot all about it! Jou! The kids, they are with you?"

"Yep. Kisara explained something about having the twins go over to your place for a project."

"Yeah, that's it. I'm so so sorry pal." Mokuba was beginning to apologize a mile a minute. "I just kind of forgot to inform you about it. I meant to call you after my conference but it's been dragging like hell."

"No problem. I just wanted to confirm with you in case there's anything."

"I'm really sorry about it. Meetings, problems... Ahhh….Life's all hell."

"You sound like you're in hell." Jounouchi replied smoothly. He wondered if he should cut the conversation short in case Malik got bored staring out the window but found the visitor busy playing with his CD player. Figuring that Mokuba probably really needed some advice, he turned back to his phone and prompted, "What happened?"

"Too much." Mokuba quickly acknowledge.

"Uh huh." Jounouchi nodded, tapping Malik's hand away from a particular heavy metal CD that he was in no mood to listen right now. Not in front of the kids, he mouthed to the bemused visitor who promptly popped a classical music CD into the player.

"Women… I just can't understand them sometimes... So much that I'm starting to consider going for men recently." Mokuba continued.

"Ha!" Jounouchi grunted, reminded that things don't go all sugar and honey between men either. "I'm guessing it is about Rebecca?"

"Yeah. Big problem this time. "Mokuba confessed. "She is so going to kill me."

"What happened?"

Malik was now flipping through his other stash of discs.

"Usual stuff, you know. Remember that girl I met about one month back at the pub?"

He couldn't really remember which girl it was, since Mokuba always had some girl one month back. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata was curtly replaced by Yanni's Reflections of Passion. Appearing to be finally satisfied with the choice of music, beside him, Malik closed his eyes and drifted off into a short nap.

"The really gorgeous one, long legs, dark black raven hair and soft doe eyes. I've been trying to get her to go out with me for one month and she finally agreed to a date last night." Mokuba's dreamy voice floated over the phone.

"Uh... And Rebecca is in town, isn't she?" Jounouchi could already predict what happened as he turned up the volume slightly.

"Jou, you would understand won't you? I mean, this lady, is once-in-a-lifetime drop-dead gorgeous, and if I don't get her this time, a second chance just doesn't drop by around the street corner!"

"Uh-huh. And Rebecca?"

"And Rebecca turned out to be meeting some friends at the posh hotel restaurant where we were at and saw us entering the lift to the suite with that girl draped all over me like a scarf."

"Uh-huh." The kids at the back of the car were now discussing animatedly about some big plan in hushed whispers. Jounouchi made a mental note to himself to do some interrogation later… just in case.

"She went mad."

"Any damaged property in the hotel?"

"No. She was really calm in the hotel. It was after that, when I got home when she started flinging things and yelling at me."

"And then?"

"And then my brother reached home and she obviously didn't want to make a din in front of him, since no one likes to cross Kaiba Seto and so she went ahead to lock herself up in my bedroom."

"I have a question. Did you get it on with your scarf after Rebecca saw you at the hotel?"

"Erm." Mokuba answered sheepishly. "Yeah."

Jounouchi seriously sweat-dropped.

"I didn't see the point not to. Rebecca was going to be mad whether I did it or not!"

"That's not the point. In this case, you deserved every bit of reprisal Rebecca is giving you."

"Hey, don't tell me you never did it before."

"I don't exactly remember but if I did, I probably deserved whatever I got."

Silence over the line.

"And right now?"

"She's not answering my calls and not receiving the flowers I sent, and I can't go back home to meet her until after this meeting." Mokuba grumbled. "And they are starting to fling files and papers across the conference table. Hopefully that means the conference has come to an immediate settlement."

"You're in a middle of a meeting now?"

"Yeah."

Jounouchi briefly wondered how Kaiba Corporation survived with Mokuba's incapability to prioritize things, but heck, that was Kaiba's problem. "Look, you don't just call and send flowers and expect to be forgiven after such a big thing… Fidelity and loyalty are important in most women's point of view, especially Rebecca, since she seems genuinely interested in you." He finally pointed out.

"So, any advices on what I can do?"

Jounouchi shrugged as if Mokuba could see him. "I don't know. Mokuba. Honestly, having been one great Casanova myself, I think I can only tell you to stop being Casanova! Time to grow up!"

He could hear Mokuba groaning over the phone. "I don't like that advice. Let me know when you come up with something else."

He grinned. "I've got no other advices for you."

"Ha! So then, have you been all loyal to my brother?" Mokuba probed.

Jounouchi felt his grin melt off. "Yeah sure, doing my best."

"Jou, is there something wrong between you and my brother? I heard about the punch you threw the other day."

"Yeah." He mumbled into the phone. Malik appeared to be well asleep. Probably jet lag, he figured.

"He's not happy. He's my brother. I want him to be happy. He doesn't show it explicitly, but I know he is not happy." Mokuba maintained.

"Neither am I." Jounouchi muttered, his eyes falling on the long, sparse highway ahead.

"You didn't talk to each other after the punch? I mean, it is just one punch. My brother can surely take more than that." Mokuba argued.

Kaiba hadn't mentioned their little rendezvous with the ring in the bathroom then, it seemed.

"We did, it ended off only fairly pleasantly, and then we came to some sort of an agreement to stay away from each other for a while."

"How long? It's been two weeks."

"I don't know. Until I figure out what he wants me to figure out, I guess."

"Have you?"

Jounouchi sighed, "Not really."

"What did he ask you to figure out?" Mokuba sounded really perplexed on the other side.

"…….whether to leave him or not." He finally said after a long pause.

He could imagine Mokuba's shocked face. "Why would he—"

"We have a lot of problems." He interrupted, wary of having to explain the problems that he had been mulling over repeatedly. "Can we talk about this another time?"

"Okay…" Mokuba sounded very reluctant. "Then, are you alright?"

"Yeah, sure, why wouldn't I be alright?"

He could see Mokuba shrugging. "I mean, surely you do feel at least a little upset?"

"Yeah. I'm getting over it."

"You should let it all out, you know?" Mokuba suggested helpfully.

"Yeah, I mean, I already feel much better after I cr-- " Jounouchi barely finished his last word, deciding to protect the last scrapes of pride and self-respect that he still had after crying so shamelessly in front of Malik. "-after I had a talk with some friends."

"So Yugi and the rest of the gang all know about you and Kaiba?"

"Yep, most of them I guess." He sighed inwardly. Sometimes having a closely-knitted group of friends did have its disadvantages.

"Anyway, I guess I'll be bringing the kids for dinner before sending them to your house for the project."

"Okay, that's fine with me." A pause, then, "Will the kids be staying late?"

Jounouchi frowned. Knowing the kids, they would probably dilly-dally their way into a sleepover. In the past that would have meant a simple sleepover for Jounouchi too at Kaiba Mansion, but now with the state of his and Kaiba's relationship… "I think I'll just leave the kids there, and pick them up tomorrow afternoon or when they've finished the project tomorrow. Is that alright?"

With that sentence out of his mouth, he swore he heard three loud audible gasps from the back of his car followed by a muffled "no!!"

"Well of course it's alright…" Mokuba's voice sounded observably disappointed.

"Oh, and just to let you know," Jounouchi added, "I'm bringing Malik around town tonight."

"Malik!? Oh right! The Pharaoh's Exhibition."

"I wanted to plan a gathering tonight but I guess most of us are pretty occupied…"

"Oh… I –shucks, I got to go now, they are starting to stare knives into me."

"Ok, see you around!" Mokuba cut the line faster than he could say bye. Jounouchi pocketed the phone and glanced back at the three kids, who were back in heated discussion again. No doubt they were hatching one of those plans again… Jounouchi sighed inwardly; having smart kids around was sometimes as bad as it could get.

* * *

By the time they reached Kaiba Mansion, Kisara was wishing that she had a Blue Eyes White Dragon along with her right now to gobble up Uncle Malik.

Frowning, she glared daggers at the back of the Egyptian when Uncle Jounouchi was not looking. Her potential mommy was currently carrying Seth and Jono's bag of clothes into the house, with the Egyptian visitor tagging behind.

Dinner had not been a happy event for Kisara. Uncle Malik had sat himself beside Uncle Jounouchi upon reaching the restaurant, foiling her plans of separating the men as far apart as possible. And then when the twins had argued that they wanted to go along the Domino City tour with their father that night, their father had sternly brushed off their attempt pointing out that they had a project to complete that was due the very next day, even if the next day was a Saturday, and that was when Kisara realize that Uncle Jounouchi had already busted her lies…

Frustrated, she crossed her arms and trailed behind the adults, both eyes glued onto the shorter man to make sure there was no chance of Uncle Malik taking advantage- whatever those words meant- of her daddy's boyfriend. Didn't Uncle Malik understand the simple fact that Uncle Jounouchi was with her father?! Couldn't he understand that the two dragons, Red Eyes Black Dragon and Blue Eyes White Dragon were simply meant for each other?!

Apparently Uncle Malik didn't. For he kept close to Uncle Jounouchi, throughout dinner, and on the car when they were traveling over to Seth and Jono's house to collect some clothes, and on the car on the way back. It was a losing duel. Their life points were down to less than a hundred and they had no more cards on the field!!

"Wow." Uncle Malik commented as they entered the house. He sounded really sincere at the sight of the size of the mansion and the front yard. But Kisara wasn't impressed, and with Jono, they continued staring at him hard enough to burn holes. Somehow, the strange Egyptian man just chose to ignore them, or was simply blissfully ignorant of their dislike for him.

"Hey, can I borrow the washroom?" Malik suddenly asked.

"Sure." Kisara muttered under her breath as the housekeeper directed him to a nearby washroom while the twins looked wistfully at her, as if hoping she could come up with an emergency plan.

"We've got to do something." Kisara hissed at the twins when Uncle Jounouchi was out of earshot up stairs unpacking Jono and Seth's clothes in their room.

"How?" Jono shrugged. "I don't like the guy either, but I can't think of anything. He kept looking at Daddy just now."

Beside him, Seth bit his lip and remained quiet.

"Did you see how he talked to me just now?" Kisara asked, slapping her hand on her forehead. "I bet he's plotting how to get rid of us now!"

"Kisara, you think too much." Seth rebuked. "He may be just a friend of Daddy's. They seem to be pretty good friends."

"No way." Kisara folded her arms. "He definitely has something up his sleeves!"

"Yeah." Jono agreed, folding his arms too. "We've got to do something."

Seth sighed in defeat. "Alright, what do you two have in mind?"

Kisara grinned. "I was thinking of scaring him actually."

"How?"

"Water." Kisara said confidently.

"Water?" Jono and Seth echoed in unison.

"Yep!" Kisara confirmed as she led them down the hallway to the pavilion overlooking the swimming pool.

"What about it?" Seth asked, confused.

"When Daddy first adopted me" she admitted, "I was afraid of water."

"Hehe," Jono chuckled. "Why was that?"

"Because I didn't know how to swim! Of course!" Kisara rolled her eyes. "We don't have much large pools of water back in Egypt, and even if we did, it was for drinking, not for swimming."

Seth's eyes widened. "You want to push him into the pool?!"

He swore he could see Kisara's eyes sparking with pride and evilness.

"Yes!" The triumphant girl declared.

"But," Seth sputtered. "What if he can't swim?"

"That's exactly the point!"

"No! What if he drowns?"

"I don't think he will." Kisara answered thoughtfully. The pool is only 1 meter deep over this end. He has to be really really stupid to drown in it."

Seth bit down on his lower lip as he turned to see Jono, who seemed just as oblivious as Kisara to the dangers of the plan.

He watched as Uncle Malik returned from the washroom and was now staring out and beyond the open floor-length French window. No doubt at the big pool of water.

"Wanna see the pool?" Kisara quickly piped up, grasping the hands of her self-declared enemy of the state and pulling him towards it, "We have a really big pool and it's not really that deep. I bet you don't get to see them much in Egypt!"

Uncle Malik appeared to follow her in deep interest and Kisara proceeded to point out the functions of the pool as they stood at the edge of the water. If he was surprised at her sudden change in attitude, he didn't show it.

"We have lights in the pool so we can swim at night, and there's a heater so that we can swim during winter too, and there's actually a mini Jacuzzi water massager the end where you can see seats, and over there…."

And while Kisara continued on with her pool orientation, Jono crept up from behind, rubbing his hands in anticipation as he inched closer to push the unsuspecting villain into the pool. Uncle Malik was so close to the edge of the water. It would just take one small bump and bye bye!

A few feet away, Seth watched Jono crept within inches of the man, biting his lips as his brother did so.

One more inch.

And another inch.

And another-

And he could not take it anymore.

It just wasn't right to go around pushing people into the pool, especially people who didn't know how to swim!

"Jono! No!" The older of the twin suddenly yelped and ran across towards the three startled people. But just at one brick away from them, one foot stepped onto the shoelaces of his other shoe which had came off, and he fell forward, bumping into and effectively pushing a particular Uncle Malik, who was in the middle of looking away from the pool, forward into the water.

SPLASH!!

* * *

"Brother?" Mokuba's voice was uncertain over the phone.

"Hmm?" Kaiba answered quietly as he tapped away at the keyboard. He had one hour to complete the report before his second meeting of the day in the evening. "Did you manage to appease Rebecca?"

"Erm, no. My meeting just ended. I called home earlier and the butler told me that she's heading for the airport. She has also burnt all my clothes, from the underwear to the tie, along with some of yours, which she probably thought was mine." Mokuba answered sheepishly.

Kaiba frowned as he adjusted his hands-free set.

"Anyway, I just wanted to inform you that I forgot to inform Jounouchi about the twins coming over to our house tonight, but he has picked Kisara and the twins up for dinner and has probably dropped them off at our place by now."

"Hmm." Kaiba grunted.

"Oh, and Malik is in town."

Kaiba frowned harder.

"And Jou is playing host to him around Domino tonight because it seems like the bunch of us are all pretty occupied, like I have go look for Rebecca, whom I'm worried is already on a plane and flying back home…"

"Hmm."

"Brother?"

"Hmm..?"

"How long are you going to stay away from him?"

Kaiba remained silent.

"I heard from him, you asked him to decide whether the two of you should end the relationship or not."

There was accusation in his tone.

When there was no response on his side, Mokuba sighed. "I'm not the world's greatest advisor on love and relationships, but I think the two of you should meet and talk it out."

Kaiba closed the file he was working on and sank back into his chair.

"I want to meet him…" He whispered.

"Then go and meet him." Mokuba's tone softened.

"Meeting him doesn't solve anything."

"Not meeting him doesn't solve anything either." Mokuba argued softly.

Kaiba sighed.

"You are running away, Brother."

"I don't know." Kaiba finally said "Whether or not I am apart from him, I get more and more lost about what he thinks and wants, until the extent that even I am lost at what I think and want about our relationship too..."

"So you left him alone to decide on the fate of your relationship!" Mokuba accused. "You are letting him shoulder everything! If he should choose to split and in the future regret his decision, it would be entirely his fault for letting you go. Is that what you want?"

"No." He said quietly. What Mokuba just said had not occurred to him previously.

_"I worry that I'll hurt you, in the end."_

Was that what Jounouchi had meant when he had said it?

Perhaps, he only really understood it now.

* * *

Cold water rained on the still startled Kisara and Jono and a Seth who was now kneeling stunned by the pool. Water bubbled from the pool, and it only dawned on them then that they were at the end of the pool where their fathers had always forbidden them to enter.

Seth started screaming first, "I killed him!"

Then Kisara, who seemed only then to realize what she had almost done, started shaking and stepping away from the pool in shock.

Jono, still dazed, only registered something flying across the pool, hitting the water with another big splash and more water raining down on him.

Then more air bubbles surfaced and then after an eternity of wait, his father's head popped out of the large pool of water, panting heavily and dragging an in all probability dead uncle Malik along with him.

As dazed as he was, a million possibilities raced through his mind about what would happen. Perhaps Daddy would be kind enough not to send him, Seth and Kisara to jail. Maybe they could bury Uncle Malik's corpse in Kisara's backyard and never talk about him again. Surely Kisara's father wouldn't find out would he? And even if he did, he would never tell right?

Jono bit down on his lip.

But then again… Daddy was a really good guy. He might just turn them over to the police, and they would be the youngest murderers ever in history. Daddy would never forgive them for killing Uncle Malik, who was most probably their daddy's new boyfriend or something. And looking at how Kisara's daddy and their daddy were right now, Kisara's daddy would most likely not allow them to bury Uncle Malik in his backyard! Oh!! This was soooo the end for them!!

Almost in tears, Jono watched as his father pulled both himself and Uncle Malik onto land before kneeling down beside the corpse and putting an ear on the chest.

"Is he dead?" Seth managed to ask between sobs.

"Not yet." Their daddy replied in a hush whisper and the three paused their sobbing in relief, only to see the twins' daddy bending down over Uncle Malik's face, lips less than a hair away from Uncle Malik's open mouth.

And then the mouths touched.

The kids gasped.

The lips were still attached.

The kids' heart sank.

And then Uncle Malik's eyes fluttered open.

Three shocked screams pierced Kaiba mansion…

…as a laughing Uncle Malik pushed a startled Uncle Jounouchi away and sat up.

"You….. Liar!!" Kisara was the first to stop screaming soon enough to screech.

Jono and Seth were about to start when they found their father staring at them... into silence.

"All three of you are grounded!" He barked.

The children's eyes widened.

"But we-"

"We only meant to-"

"We just didn't want you to-"

"No TV, no videos and no games tonight!"

The three kids immediately shut their mouths and looked away from the twins' father very furious glare.

"I think…. It was quite an accident." Uncle Malik finally spoke. Kisara frowned. Just why was Uncle Malik helping them now? Was he really a good guy whom she had misunderstood? But he just tricked Uncle Jounouchi into kissing him!

"Malik! Was it fun pretending to be dead?!" The twin's father glared at the grinning man.

"Cool it man! Just trying to get back at the kids. Say, is there any clothes for me to change into. It's very cold."

"You may well freeze to death." Uncle Jounouchi snorted, in which Kisara, Seth and Jono silently cheered. But their happiness was short-lived as they watch Uncle Jounouchi pulling Uncle Malik back into the house for a change of clothes.

When they saw Uncle Malik again, Kisara would have flung herself onto Uncle Malik in an attempt to pound him if Seth hadn't held her back.

"He's wearing my daddy's clothes!! Why is he wearing my daddy's clothes?!" Kisara screeched, almost shaking with anger and shock. "Only Uncle Jounouchi can wear my daddy's clothes!"

She turned to glare at the housekeeper who only calmly explained. "I would have liked to give him young master Mokuba's more fitting clothes but Miss Rebecca has burnt all of young master's clothes earlier this afternoon."

Her mouth in a wide O, she stomped her feet as she watched Malik turned back to give her a victory sign before leaving the house with Uncle Jounouchi.

* * *

"Still furious over the little joke?"

"What in the name of Ra were you thinking? Scaring the kids like that!"

"Alright I'm sorry. I didn't think it would freak them out to that extent." Malik admitted, "I certainly didn't expect you to perform CPR on me either."

"Yeah," Jounouchi snorted, "Next time I should just try pounding the water out of you."

"Hey, I'm sorry!"

Jounouchi scowled a few seconds more, then sighed, "And I'm sorry about what the kids did just now. They are not bad by nature, just probably…"

"Worried for their dads?" Malik teased.

"I guess so." Jounouchi replied, his hands wrapped around his jug of beer. After leaving Kaiba's mansion, they had settled for some local cuisine back in town before Malik commented on hitting the bars. Jounouchi's current down-mood and disinterest in the louder, more crowded bars had them skip Jounouchi's usual hangout at Iced Fever and settle for the quiet comforts of Malik's hotel bar, _Casanova_, instead.

So much for Casanovas today, Jounouchi thought silently to himself, recalling the earlier conversation with Domino City's greatest Casanova.

"Anyway, feeling much better now?"

"Compared to the last few days, I guess I do feel much better," Jounouchi gave a faint smile as he spun around in his high chair along the bar, "Pouring out everything in my mind helps. Thanks for listening… and earlier in the car, I mean. It really helped a lot… thanks."

"Anytime, Jou." Malik smiled and then Jounouchi found the Egyptian staring at him thoughtfully.

"Erm… anything on my face?"

"No," Malik replied, his arms leaning on the bar table, "Just, I'm wondering where Kaiba and your problem arises from."

"If only I knew," Jounouchi sighed, "The answer seems so many things but yet so simple things. Maybe we're just incompatible…"

"Actually I was thinking more of something else…" Malik admitted.

"Hm?"

"Jou you're not really the conservative type, right?"

"I guess you can say so." Jounouchi replied sheepishly, recalling the many girls he had slept with back in college, some whom he barely remembered their names.

"Then why is it so hard to sleep with Kaiba? Is it because he is a man? Or because he is Kaiba Seto?"

"Both." Jounouchi answered truthfully after a second of thought, "But I think us being both men play a pretty big part too."

"Ever thought of kissing or having sex with another man other than Kaiba before?"

As open as he usually was, Jounouchi found the idea not very inviting, though the idea wasn't revoking either.

"Want to try it with me?" Malik's suggestion came so abruptly Jounouchi found himself choking on his beer.

"Are you kidding?" He managed to ask between coughs.

"Hardly." Malik replied with such certainly that Jounouchi could see that it was no joke. "I'm offering you a one-nighter, and I'll willingly take the position of 0."

Jounouchi found himself in a state of not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Here was a man offering him a one night gay sex. One night stands were nothing rare to him, but with a guy…

"Look, if you're thinking about why I let you be 1," Malik interrupted, "since supposedly by default you should be 0 since you are less experienced and all the crap, I can actually tell you that in a real stable male-male relationship, unlike in most manga and anime or fanfictions that you see, there is actually no real clear-cut line between who is to be 0 or 1. Usually we alternate. But granted, there may be certain preferences to be a certain position so that one person ends up being 0 probably double the times of the other person, but the more predominant 0 will most likely have plenty of chances to be 1 too."

Jounouchi blinked as he stared at Malik and digested the words. He hadn't had sex for a long time, be it men or women since he had met Kaiba. And while the idea of sleeping with Kaiba had its come-along package of pressure, Malik's one-night-invitation was kind of … liberalizing, with a wee bit of challenge. And observing Malik now, he found himself pretty enchanted by the tanned Egyptian whose light purple eyes appeared to glimmer in the bar's warm, sleepy light. Now to think of it, Malik was pretty good-looking with certain feminine features.

Feminine huh? Shizuka and his parents would like that – Wait, back to Malik. He continued scrutinizing Malik… really not bad actually…

Even the long, tanned fingers stirring the cocktail with a cherry were seductively charming.

"Alright, let's go."

His words shocked himself as much as it seemed to startle Malik, but the shorter man recovered smoothly, drinking down his purple cocktail at a go before ordering the bartender to charge it to his room.

Before Jounouchi knew it, they had made their way out of the bar and were sitting on Malik's large super-king-sized bed.

"Just relax, alright, Katsuya?"

Jounouchi blinked, now they were on first-name terms, as he watched Malik rummaged around the room's bathroom and bedroom drawers.

"Hey," Malik suddenly piped up. "I've got to get some stuff, why don't you go take a shower first? It will help you relax."

"Okay." Jounouchi mumbled and stumbled into the bathroom.

His mind was still quite numb though second thoughts were beginning to slip in as he stripped and showered himself in water as warm as he could stand it.

There was nothing to lose, wasn't there? He wasn't playing the bitch, and Malik wasn't likely to go around spreading stories about them. Moreover, it gave him a better picture to what he was supposed to do in the real circumstances.

Huh? So doing it with Malik wasn't 'real'. Doing it with Kaiba was 'real'.

A sudden realization dawned on him.

His reluctance to do it with Kaiba mostly stemmed from his fear of doing it all wrong. He didn't want to disappoint Kaiba.

_What about fidelity and loyalty._

The question popped into his head as he turned off the tap and stepped into the warm mist.

This would be a great betrayal of Kaiba's trust in him, wouldn't it? Yet, he actually felt little remorse or guilt.

Was it the logic that he was doing it in order to continue his relationship with Kaiba that spurred him on?

He wasn't sure.

Tightening his robe around him, through the bathroom door, he could hear the door open and close as Malik thanked some hotel personnel for delivering some items.

Then he stepped out of the bathroom.

* * *

Kaiba walked out of the conference room, seemingly unruffled by the long day and exhaustion accumulated despite it being 2am in the morning.

That was how the CEO of Kaiba Corporation appeared, always calm, dignified and fresh, even if inwardly he was beat and dying to hit his bed and sleep away the next forty-eight hours. It was only natural as it gave him the appearance of an edge over other competitors and furthermore worked as an inspiration to his aspiring employees. Moreover, as much as the idea of a forty-eight hours nap appealed to him, it irritated him knowing that it would not come true. He would be awake, typing away a report on his notebook the next twenty minutes as his chauffeur drove him home, hit the bed after a shower and kissing Kisara goodnight in her sleep, and sleep only about four to five hours before rising to another busy day.

The meeting had dragged and ended much later than expected due to his client oversleeping because of jet lag. And he was one too important client for Kaiba despite his intolerance for tardiness, to wake him up.

Heading for the hotel's revolving door, Kaiba stopped in his tracks when he saw a man only too familiar stepped out of the hotel's elevator.

He could feel his heart beating faster than usual, as his eyes never left the man.

Jounouchi Katsuya.

Disheveled hair, as if he just woke up, but wide awake eyes to prove that he had not slept, and walking towards the revolving doors, too deep in thought to notice someone staring at him.

The door to another elevator opened, and a flurry of silver hair ran passed him towards Jounouchi.

"Hey Katsuya," The other man called out as he reached and caught hold of Jounouchi with an arm, panting hard as he tried to catch his breath. "I wanted to return you your clothes first."

Did he just call you Katsuya? I didn't know you knew each other that well!

Kaiba felt a cold draft down his spine while somewhere in his chest, a heat was surging as he watched Malik talk to Jounouchi wearing nothing but a robe.

They weren't so far that Kaiba couldn't hear them from his spot near the conference room about ten meters away.

"Oh yeah." Jounouchi smiled back at him. "Thanks!"

Kaiba felt his forehead tighten as he watched the two men.

They were standing too close to each other, and talking too affectionately to each other.

Calm down, Seto Kaiba, it is your over-jealousy working up having missed Jounouchi so much until you can't stand seeing Jounouchi speak to another man.

He watched as Jounouchi waved goodbye and stepped out of the hotel and glared into the short Egyptian who turned and stopped in his tracks when he saw him.

"Kai… Kaiba." The other man drew in a breath, looking shocked and sounding almost apologetic.

"Malik." Kaiba acknowledged, his eyes still focused on the revolving door which Jounouchi just stepped through.

"Jou and I." Malik started, sounding really apologetic now.

Kaiba could feel his blood rushing to his head while the coldness down his spine continued to chill him.

"I'm sorry Kaiba…Jou and I went to bed." Kaiba heard as Malik walked passed him, and all was left was Malik's footsteps fading away the door of the lift closing.

His world was spinning, and it was taking him all his self-control to appear as calm and cool as he did. He couldn't even move, because if he did, he knew he would shake with anger.

"Sir? Mr. Kaiba?" His chauffeur appeared through the spinning revolving door.

Kaiba's eyes traced the patterns of the tiles on the floor as he answered, "Is the car ready?"

"I'm sorry Sir, the car broke down suddenly. The carburetor needs a replacement. I've sent for another car. It should be reaching any moment now..."

Kaiba nodded quietly, his head felt so heavy that he felt like just lying down on the floor and curling up.

And if someone would off the lights, he would just lie there and sleep. It didn't matter if people watched him, the great CEO of Kaiba Corp, lying on the floor of the hotel.

He owned the hotel after all. The floor was his property. He could sleep on it for all he wanted.

And he wasn't thinking straight.

"Sir, are you alright?" His dependable chauffeur asked, sincerely concerned.

"Yes." He answered as he pushed tried to push the anger and illogical thoughts away, trying to clear his head.

"I need to take a break." He mumbled and simply closed his eyes. "Get me home."

_To be continued…._

* * *

**Authors' comments:**

Three years have passed since the beginning of this work. And it's finally coming to an end!! Soon! briefly wonders in guilt how many readers have followed all the way till this chapter and how many readers have moved on to other stages of their lives and other interests. The ending was long already decided when the first chapter was written, but coming to this point of the story was hard, with the two authors' flings with other interests and school schedule.

Much love and thanks to everyone who has supported Family of Dragons throughout!! We'll be very happy if we can see any of our readers from 3 years ago still around. And hello to new readers!

This chapter has been particularly difficult to write because it was angsty and sad… let's hope the next chapter would be better? And for readers out there who are screaming at us or cursing Malik for his involvement hugs and protects Malik from flying eggs, you will look forward to the next chapter. This is a KaiJou fic and will remain a KaiJou fic.


	22. Chapter 19: The Beginning in the End

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 19 The Beginning in the End**

**

* * *

  
**

White

White signifying strength.

The color that signified the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

Strength that kept him going no matter what happened.

Which was why in his later teens, he tended to wear white suits.

Until reality caught up with him that white was difficult to keep clean and white.

White

Also signifying purity.

The color he often associated with him.

Because he always had this sunshine with him. The bright sunlight that seemed to always surround him, so bright that his eyes sometimes hurt from simply looking at him, as if he had been staring at the sun in a blue cloudless sky.

Kaiba closed his eyes.

A certain hesitant knocking on his door had woken him up. He couldn't exactly tell what time of the day it was with his curtains drawn up fully, leaving only his bedside lamp's soft light to illuminate his world. His stomach was giving him no clue either. There was an itching dryness in his throat but he decided it could be ignored.

A certain fatigue charged back at him as his mind blocked off some memories that were threatening to return with his groggy overslept brain attempting to wake up.

Ignoring the soft knockings that eventually gave up, he pulled up his sheets.

And it was back to the world of guilty, angry darkness.

* * *

Black was the color of mourning and death.

The color of his most supportive Red Eye Black Dragon.

Jounouchi found himself mulling thoughtfully as he watched the crowd of visitors all adorned in black drift about quietly like fallen leaves in unmoving water around Yugi's house.

Yet that was not really the truth. White was the true color of mourning and death in the Japanese mind.

White was the color the dead wore since the old days.

White with gold embroidery was what the deceased in his coffin now wore and would wear to his cremation the next day.

And white used to be the color the mourners wore, until dark suits and dresses caught up with them after the Meiji Restoration.

But now was of course not the time to think of history and how westernization affected the Japanese thinking.

It was a period for mourning.

One could only tell how many friends one had after his death from the number of people who mourn for him, Jounouchi found himself brooding over the saying.

And apparently Yugi's grandfather had many of those. From elderly neighbors to young children from the next street, young otakus in the mid twenties or thirties to foreigners who flew to Domino City just to see him for the last time.

Sitting in the kitchen where he could very well see the family altar and where Yugi, and his older children were kneeling and bowing in appreciation to the visitors, he wondered how life would be now that Grandfather Sugoroku was gone.

The gentle old man had always been a half fatherly and grandfatherly figure to Yugi, and in some ways, to him too when his father was too drunk to be his guide in life.

Did grandfather Sugoroku leave with no regrets? He wondered.

Grandfather Sugoroku was the kind of man who had lived his life without regrets. Of course, Jounouchi didn't believe that any human could live a life without having one or a few regrets. But Grandfather Sugoroku had always treated his regrets as lessons to be learnt, and he faced them squarely, and thus these regrets became regrets no longer.

Jounouchi sighed and closed his eyes.

There were regrets in his life than he could never muster up the courage to really face. The kids' mom was one horrible regret he never dared to face. He never went to look for her, never contacted her, and never even tried to think of her.

And now Kaiba.

Was he going to be another regret?

"Jounouchi?" Jounouchi jumped as Anzu's voice came over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Then he smiled sheepishly. "I should be the one asking, shouldn't it be?"

Anzu gave him a sad little smile. "I'm fine. I'm just sorry that you had to come over late at night. You haven't gone home since then have you?"

"It's okay." Jounouchi returned an assuring smile.

It was more than 36 hours ago when he stepped out of Kaiba Corp Grand Hotel. His car had barely left the hotel's car park when Anzu called to break the news that grandfather Sugoroku had passed away peacefully. He had then rushed home for a change of clothes before going to Yugi's place to help in arranging the funeral and the wake.

The wake was extended to two days in order for some of grandfather Sugoroku's faraway friends to reach in time to pay their last respects. The following day would be the funeral which would be held at the shrine where Shizuka had married.

Jounouchi glanced over at Mahaado and Iris, impatiently kneeling in agony beside their father, seemingly eager to rise from their uncomfortable position, and join their friends Jono and Seth upstairs in the playroom. The children were perhaps still too young to truly understand the reality of great grandfather's death.

Moreover, the somberness of grandfather Sugoroku's death had generally only lasted up till the noon of the first day and since then, even Yugi was in a better mood and most of the people and visitors started to give more smiles and make small talk about how the old man had lived a mostly happy and satisfied life.

Though, no doubt there were peaks of grave and tears when everyone started missing the cheerful old man.

Missing.

Another person was missing at the wake too.

Jounouchi had been helping out at the reception table since the first visitors arrived, making it more than convenient for him to take note if a certain person had at the very least, came and paid his last respect to an elderly man he had been disrespectful on the day both parties first met.

Even after being relieved by Honda on the second day, he had purposefully dropped by the reception table every now and then, fingering over the dried black calligraphy ink of the registry book, but yet the particular name never surfaced.

Maybe he won't come.

He wasn't that close to the old man after all.

And he never seemed to be the type to be really bothered about last respects to an old man.

Or maybe it was because he was still avoiding _him_.

A light squeeze on his shoulder pulled him back into reality.

Anzu had moved away to comfort some weeping visitors while Mokuba's hand rested on his shoulder.

The abnormally tense look of exasperation and worry on the young Kaiba's face was enough to raise his brows.

"Mokuba."

"Hi, Jou." Mokuba answered curtly as screamed welcomes and happy shrieks indicated giddy reunions from the stairs. The old Japanese house creaked under Kisara's rampage as she stomped up the stairs into the playroom with Mahaado and Iris, finally released from their captivity.

Jounouchi tried not to steal glances at the altar where a queue of new arrivals were waiting to pay their respects.

"He's not coming." Mokuba said with a deep breath.

"Oh."

"Jou, did something happen between the two of you since we last talked over the phone?"

"No," Jounouchi answered, pausing for a minute. Mokuba's question was loaded. It meant something.

That something might have happened.

And possibly something bad.

"No, I haven't seen him, haven't even called or talked to him…Did something happen?"

Mokuba sighed heavily and checked his watch. "Kisara and I haven't seen him since about 36 hours ago."

Jounouchi blinked, "Did he… go missing?"

"No." Mokuba chuckled nervously. "I meant it literally when I said I haven't seen him. It's the first time I've seen him behave in such a way. I mean, I've never seen him in that state, and he's never taken a leave longer than twelve hours without detailed explanations and instructions first before. And its' been like, 36 hours?"

Jounouchi took another deep breath.

"The night I talked to you on the phone." Mokuba continued. "I don't know what happened but he came home in a daze. The chauffeur had to walk him in! And then he locked himself into his bedroom and has been in there since then…"

"What happened?" Jounouchi whispered.

Mokuba shook his head. "The chauffeur said he seemed to be in shock when he picked him up from the hotel."

"Hotel?" Jounouchi repeated, the word echoing meaningfully in his mind.

"Yeah.. he was at our hotel replacing me at a meet-" Mokuba looked up, a sudden possibility having dawn on him. "Jou.. were you at the hotel… with someone?"

Jounouchi felt a cold draft shiver down his back and his throat ran dry.

Malik running over to him wearing only a robe, catching and holding him on the arm, handing him back his clothes.

_Katsuya._

_

* * *

_

"And I haven't seen Daddy ever since then." Kisara said mournfully to her two sympathetic listeners while Mahaado poked at her impatiently with his sword.

"The three of you are not concentrating on the game!" The younger boy complained.

Kisara rolled her eyes in exasperation before flopping down onto the floor, throwing aside her toy sword.

"Sorry Mahaado, I would love to play this game, but I'm really not in the mood right now." Kisara sighed.

"Sorry Mahaado." Seth apologized too. "We are having some problems right now. I promise we will play with you the next time we come."

The younger boy nodded, visibly disappointed but understanding enough to take off his Black Magician outfit, sit down beside his three older friends and listen to their strange conversation. He had suggested they play make-believe by pretending to be priests and priestesses of ancient Egypt fighting against the dark evil monsters that held the Pharaoh in captivity. It would have been one great game if it wasn't that the three older children were simply in no mood to play it.

"Daddy smelt completely of Malik and some strange oil when he came back that day." Seth explained their side of the story. "He seemed tired but also worried and then he told us that Grandfather Sugoroku had gone to a very faraway place and that he has to help out over here. Then he took a bath, changed into black clothes and came here, I think."

"Jono, don't you have anything to add on to what Seth just said?" Kisara turned in annoyance to the other twin who was still self-consciously swinging his sword around pretending to be the Flame Swordsman.

"Huh? Oh." The other twin stopped his sword in midair and admitted sheepishly. "It was late when Daddy came home. I was asleep."

"I couldn't wake him up." Seth added.

Kisara rolled her eyes again.

Nothing was going according to plan, and honestly, nothing they planned worked and there was nothing for them to plan either. She couldn't understand what was happening and why they were happening.

Didn't her daddy like Uncle Jounouchi?

And didn't Uncle Jounouchi like her Daddy?

Daddy seemed to very well enjoyed Uncle Jounouchi's company, more than any other person. Well, at least besides her and Uncle Mokuba, or even possibly, more than her and Uncle Mokuba.

Their daddies dated, met each other's families. Even at her young age, having watched all the junky, romantic, teary dramas that Aunt Rebecca( who hated to be called Aunt) watched daily and had her watch together occasionally, she knew that all those meant something, and that her daddy does like Uncle Jounouchi and wants to marry him.

Plus, most importantly, they hugged and kissed!

A frown found its place on her face.

But Uncle Jounouchi kissed Uncle Malik too!

And oh gosh… Seth said that Uncle Jounouchi smelled of Uncle Malik when he came home… They must have hugged each other for such a long, long time.

That was sooooooooo not good.

"Is there anything I can help?" Mahaado suddenly piped up, obviously tired of the silence and boredom around the room. His sister had tire and fell asleep on one of the green mats representing their grass fields for monster dueling.

Kisara sighed. "Not unless you have something that can make all our wishes come true."

Mahaado tilted his head to the side. "Something that makes all your wishes come true?"

"Yeah." Kisara nodded glumly.

"Have you tired praying to the gods?" Mahaado asked, a hopeful and innocent smile on his face. "My daddy used to tell me about the legend of the Creator of Light, Harakhti."

Kisara's eyes widened. "Is he a god?"

Mahaado looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure if he is one. But my daddy says that legend says that the three ancient Egyptian Gods combine to become Harakhti. And he will bring light to the world of darkness."

Kisara sighed and shook her head. "I don't need a God to bring me light. I've got enough lamps and torchlights. I just want my daddy and Uncle Jounouchi to be together, happily, ever after! Just like the Holy Elf and the White Dragon Prince in Dragon Lake!"

Mahaado shrugged. "I think since he is a combination of three gods, he should be really powerful and can do anything!"

"Really?" Kisara frowned in consideration and turned to look at Seth and Jono, who were also now in deep thoughts.

"I think Daddy might have mentioned something like that before, but I'm not so sure." Seth admitted.

Jono broke into sheepish grin. "I don't remember."

Kisara took in a deep breath and declared defiantly. "Well, it is our only means of hope right now, and this means we must do whatever we can to achieve it."

The twins nodded in agreement.

"Alright." Kisara finally concluded. "So, what do we have to do?"

The three older children turned to look at their young overwhelmed friend.

Mahaado paused nervously at the three large pair of eyes imploring him to go on.

"I have no idea."

* * *

Sand was in his shoes as he walked. The sun was low but the usual warm orange ball of fire was masked by the low grey clouds that indicated that a storm was rolling in soon. The beach was empty and even the wind seemed still as the musky scent of rain mixed with the salty smell of the seaweeds enveloped him.

Jounouchi was more than happy to have the beach to himself, not being required to return smiles or a friendly wave to kids who might have been playing along the beach. Even the occasional surfers were nowhere to be seen.

After parking his car at one of the empty car parks lining the beach, he had mindlessly scrolled along the shoreline, simply walking further down, leaving long trail of shoe prints behind him until he couldn't even really see the beginning of them.

And that was when he finally stopped and sat down on the sand dunes, watching the rising tide attack the shore ferociously, as if intent on reaching his position less than a meter away from the shoreline.

This was his haven. It was the fantasy island he had secretly brought Shizuka to when they were young, the solace zone where he came when he was sad when his mother left, the place he came when he was frustrated over his father's drinking problem. He would keep walking, as far as he could until he found a solution, or somehow gotten over the problem, before he turned to take the same path back. The return trips got longer as he grew older, but hey, that was better than simply locking oneself up in a room, sleeping over it and pretend that the problem would be solved the following morning…

Jounouchi close his eyes and finally allowed the problem that has been tugging at the corner of his heart since his conversation with Mokuba surface.

The memory of what happened over the last four days ago was a blur to him. Not having sufficient sleep and the unremitting events after receiving news of grandfather Sugoroku's death was just starting to have their impact.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

The funeral had ended just an hour ago with grandfather Sugoroku cremated at Domino City's crematorium before having his ashes scattered into the sea from the city harbor. It was something grandfather Sugoroku would have appreciated, Yugi had decided. He had felt that his grandfather would enjoy the vastness of the sea which connects all the continents together, allowing him to visit his numerous overseas friends.

Even more hours back he had attempted to save the life of a friend who didn't really require saving. And then the next memories were the most vivid of the last four days.

"_Alright, let's go."_

His hands found their way up to his head and ran through his hair, as if they could clear the frustrating thoughts from his mind.

His shirt and dark trousers now smelled only of incense and smoke left from the wake and the cremation. But the exotic Egyptian smell of Malik was still deeply etched in his mind. Closing his eyes, he could almost smell the fragrance right below his nose, as if he was back at the hotel and Malik was right beside him.

But it was another fragrance he missed more.

The sweet cinnamon smell.

A smell that was once so closed to him and he had gotten so used to it he had oversaw its existence.

Now he couldn't really recall how it was. It was sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet. It was gentle but strong enough to attract attention, but he couldn't recall the exact smell. Neither could he conjure it up like Malik's fragrant oils.

All there were was the saltish air of the sea.

Kaiba.

Jounouchi stared into the darkening horizon.

Kaiba was at the hotel.

Malik had not mentioned a word to him when he attended the funeral at the shrine for a short while before returning to his exhibition, and he had not felt that it was the proper time and place to ask Malik if he had noticed Kaiba at the hotel.

Jounouchi closed his eyes again, his head heavy with worry, anger and guilt.

"_Alright, let's go."_

He was truly asking for trouble when he agreed to Malik's invitation. He wasn't going to blame the alcohol he had drunk for his actions. The alcohol he had drunk prior to his misadventure was not significant to cloud his judgment. He was clear-headed when he agreed to go in the pub. He knew what he was doing.

And he knew why he did it too. But he just couldn't explain it now.

It was too long, too complicated and too tiring to explain it to anyone, even to himself.

If this was the way he was to part from Kaiba, it was perhaps a good way enough already.

The already moist, salty air mixed with the increasing humidity left a salty taste on his lips.

He opened his eyes to the approaching thunderstorm. Along the horizon, silent lightning were already flashing across the sky even though rain had yet to befall on his part of the land. He allowed his ears to scan across the beach, and only then did he saw it.

The familiar tall and lean build, brown hair and uncharacteristically slow stride denied all of Jounouchi's wishes that the approaching figure wasn't Seto Kaiba.

He stood up and contemplated whether to simply walk off in the other direction, while his heart continued to thud heavily in his chest.

* * *

"And finally, these colorful and delicate papyrus scrolls come from the infamous Book of the Dead..." Uncle Malik's voice droned on as Kisara, Seth and Jono trailed behind a group of visitors to The Pharaoh's Exhibition.

"So just do we combine the three gods?" Jono whispered to his doppelganger, propped against the wall to rest his tired feet. "And how do even get the three gods? We don't have God cards and dad told me the cards don't exist any longer…."

"I just wish this tour will end. I wish we never came." Kisara wailed quietly beside him.

"It's not that bad." Seth encouraged, stealing peeks at their guide who has moved on to the next statue but at the same time keeping an eye on them to make sure the three children were following. He had found that the Egyptian was not such a bad guy after all – after the young man had gently diverted his attention from reading and re-reading an exhibition explanation patiently several times during the tour.

Kisara rolled her eyes. "I think he is trying to walk us to death."

"He's doing his work." Seth defended. "He doesn't even have to entertain us if he doesn't want to."

Jono sighed as he picked himself back onto his feet and walked into the next exhibition hall to rejoin the tour group. Their dad had chucked them to Uncle Mokuba after the cremation, looking slightly relieved when they had requested to be left with Kisara for the day, and then had headed off to do as he claimed, some things to attend to. Then, Kisara had requested Uncle Mokuba to take them to the Egypt Exhibition in town. While Uncle Mokuba had seemed surprise at their request, having heard their of their unpleasant encounter with Malik, he was happy to do so, claiming he had a lot of work to do at the office with Kisara's daddy absent.

"Is this going to end soon?" Kisara complained to Seth. They had been walking around for almost 2 hours.

And that was when she heard the magic words from Malik. "And our tours will hence come to an end here. I'll be happy to be of help if any of you require further explanations."

Kisara almost broke into a huge grin watching Malik's small tour dispersed quickly, obviously even if anyone had questions, they would be too tired for any further questions after such a long walk.

"Well, that was probably one of the longest tour I've taken anyone one." Malik turned to them, grinning.

Seth blinked nervously at Malik's full attention. The three of them were no doubt slightly fearful of the older man at the moment, unsure whether he would help them at all after how they had tried to kill him.

"Erm, it was a very nice, educative tour." Seth mumbled.

Malik merely shrugged and headed off towards the next exhibition hall, motioning for them to follow him.

"So is there anything you need to know? Or else I'm alright with just leaving the three of you to wonder around the exhibition hall, despite what Mokuba said about keeping an eye on you, as long as you don't leave the building." Malik said pointedly.

"Well." Kisara said, sucking in a lungful of air as Malik stopped in his track and turned to her. "We want to apologize for what we did the other day."

Malik chuckled.

"I mean, really. We're sorry that we tried to kill you." Kisara explained fervently.

"Alright, I'm sorry I scared the three of you by pretending to be dead too." Malik answered laughingly.

'I don't like him." Jono moaned quietly beside Seth.

"He's an okay guy." Seth whispered back, his voice trembling.

"I'm guessing the three of you have a special request or something, or else you wouldn't be that kind to suddenly come apologize." Malik's voice was suddenly a lot more serious.

The children gulped.

Kisara was the first to calm and probably the bravest of them all to answer.

"Yes, we have actually." She said, taking a step towards Malik and looking up at him boldly.

"How can I be of service?" Malik looked at the young girl in the eye, truly impressed by her spirit.

"Mahaado told us about the legend of the Three Ancient Gods of Egypt, which when combined, will summon the God of Light."

Malik raised a brow.

Kisara swallowed hard and looked to the twins for confidence boost. "We want to summon that God."

Malik raised both brows before cautiously asking, "And may I ask why?"

Before Kisara could answer, Jono blurted out first, "Because we want him to bring our dads together!"

Malik's face was one of bewilderment, but Seth thought he saw his mouth twitch at a corner.

"So," Malik repeated with a straight face. "You want to find the three Ancient Gods so as to summon Harakhti, the God of light, and wish to him for your dads to be together."

"Yes!" Kisara nodded earnestly.

"We thought you might not like it, knowing since you seem to like dad." Seth piped out nervously. "But..."

Malik laughed out loud.

"Alright, I'll help." He grinned.

Three large pairs of eyes starred right back at him, surprised at his willingness to help.

"But you and Uncle Jou…" Kisara began.

"We are good friends." The Egyptian man answered, waving the issue away with a hand as if swatting a fly.

"How do we know you are not pulling our leg, like last time?" Jono accused.

"Hmm." Malik turned to the younger of the twin to see him hide behind Seth. "Alright."

He turned to the three children and addressed them. "Your mission now is to find the three Gods. To prove that I will help and am true to my word, I'll help you find one of the Gods."

"Aren't they already destroyed?" Kisara asked.

"Well, their cards were destroyed, yes." Malik paused thoughtfully. "But, as we know, Gods can't be that easily destroyed, can they,"

The kids nodded.

"They can always appear in other forms and shapes, can't they?" Malik continued, as he started walking briskly towards an exhibition hall.

The three children followed closely while Malik continued his explanation.

"The three of you will find the Fire Dragon of Ra and the Giant God-soldier of Obelisk. I, will find for you the last God, the Sky Dragon of Osiris."

"How do they look like?" Seth asked as they came to a stop in front of an exhibition table.

"A fire dragon," Malik replied with a look of amusement. "is of course a fire dragon."

"Where are we going to find a fire dragon?!" Kisara asked, her brows moving close together.

"That, is your problem. I'm going to have my own problem finding the sky dragon I guess." The Egyptian man said, his eyes looking towards the sky.

"And the Obelisk?" Seth piped.

"The Obelisk, "Malik pointed to a small stone monument on the exhibition table. "is a stone tower."

Jono's eyes widened. "So, you have the Obelisk here?"

"No" Malik replied testily. "This is but a small, fake replication. The real Obelisk is of course in Egypt."

"But we can't fly to Egypt to get the Obelisk!" Kisara wailed.

"I wouldn't encourage you to, either." Malik answered. "The point it, you don't have to find the real things, but representations. A huge stone rock, shaped liked an Obelisk, about the height of three of you combined can be assumed to be an Obelisk."

"Can buildings and towers be Obelisk?" Seth immediately followed up.

Malik looked thoughtful. "I guess so, no, on the other hand no, skyscrapers no, towers maybe."

Seth looked hopeful.

"But the problem is here again, you've got to have all three items in the same place, so that the 3 Gods will be summoned. For example, you get the Obelisk, and when all three items are present, then the God-Soldier will be summoned. And after that, when all three Gods are summoned, you can summon the God of Light."

The three children's faces fell.

"Come on." Malik encouraged. "You are looking for Gods! How can it be easy to look for them. But if you are truly sincere enough, sometimes, they may just appear out of the blue!"

Kisara sighed. "We'll try our best."

* * *

Watching Jounouchi in the evening sun and approaching storm, Kaiba was reminded of the same day when he had found him along the beach, watching the sun set into the sea.

Jounouchi had been crying that day, more likely out of sadness for his sister's growing up then happiness for her happiness.

Just when he had decided to leave his old adversary to his emotions, the shorter man had called out to him.

"Se- Kaiba?"

If you haven't called me then, I imagine nothing would have happened between the two of us.

I wouldn't have kissed you.

But I did.

And _why did you kiss me back?_

_Why did I kiss Jounouchi?_

_Jounouchi had smelled and looked so seducing in the sunset..._

This was the reason he had given to himself then.

But in deep reflection on the past, he knew, as all people who had truly ever fallen in love before, that he had kissed him because he had unknowingly fallen crazily in love with him that day.

And there was no need for a reason to love someone.

He was head-over-heels and passionately obsessed about Jounouchi, so much that he didn't want to live without him, and if there was to be risk, he was willing to get hurt.

And if he could, if only he could still kiss Jounouchi, even after all that had happened—

Kaiba stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes.

All that had happened- the image of Malik running to Jounouchi only in his robes, the two of them huddled together intimately—was like a knife to his chest.

It was a wonder how the human body worked. Heartaches were only psychological, yet his heart truly pained.

He inhaled deeply and continued his stroll towards Jounouchi.

Jounouchi was now standing and waiting for his advance, looking grave and uncertain.

And when Kaiba finally reached within arms reach of Jounouchi, he found that he wasn't sure exactly what to do, and it was evident that Jounouchi was just as a lost as he was, starring gravely back at him.

If Kaiba had to decide what to do, he decided to forget his head and listen to his heart.

He reached out, wound Jounouchi's loosened black tie from the funeral around his hand and pulled him in. Jounouchi was obviously taken by surprise to follow his pull without pulling back.

And Kaiba pulled the shorter man towards him until his hand holding the tie was touching both of their chests.

They were so close that their faces were almost touching, and Kaiba could see the stunned, confused eyes of Jounouchi just centimeters away.

But when his lips met Jounouchi's, they didn't resist either and Kaiba found himself licking Jounouchi's dry salty lips before they parted to let him enter.

He had so missed him. Missed Jounouchi's faint sweet vanilla with musky animal scent. The salty smell of the ocean and sand had covered that scent he missed so much, but the taste of him was still the same.

The kiss started slow. With Kaiba planting short and light pecks on Jounouchi's lips and Jounouchi returning them after a bare hesitation, both taking short light breaths between pecks and licks as the waves started slapping into their shoes and long pants.

Jounouchi was just as persistent and seeking for his lips as he was.

It was when the rain really started falling that Kaiba found his hands gripping Jounouchi's hair and pulling the other man into a fervent kiss lock, in which Jounouchi returned his advances almost feverishly, two desperately lost man straining to make up for the time they had been apart from each other.

How long had it been since they had last been in each others' arms? Kaiba found himself unable to remember at all. All he could think was that the morning swim in his mansion after Jounouchi got drunk, the cruise trip where they sat beneath the stars singing, the regrettably short breakfasts every day after dropping off the kids at school, the dates at Kaiba Corp after work in his office, dressing up as high school students and pretending to be Seth and Jono, lying together on Jounouchi's bed.. all these seemed both like yesterday and years ago…

"_Jou and I."_

Malik's voice rang abruptly in his mind.

"_I'm sorry Kaiba…"_

Blood gushing to his head, Kaiba found himself pulling away in loath and staring into a pair of dazed eyes.

"…_Jou and I went to bed."_

He pulled back a fist and hit Jounouchi for the first time. The pain in the heart was far greater than the one from his punch.

Jounouchi was obviously surprised by the punch, for his punch hit him squarely near his jaw and the blonde fell half sitting into the water. He stared as Jounouchi turned to look at him, face blank as a thin crimson line form at Jounouchi's lower lip.

He didn't regret hitting Jounouchi. But why did he feel so tired, so exhausted suddenly?

Jounouchi gave a low animalistic growl and lunged at him.

He barely had time to register the pain near his left eye when a wave swept him off his feet and he fell sideways sitting into the water beside Jounouchi, and only then did he register the stinging cold water in the pacific. But unlike the previous time at Kaiba Corporation, Kaiba was not in the mood to take the punch without retaliation.

Climbing unsteadily on his feet amidst the waves, he lunged over at Jounouchi, giving him a well-aimed punch in the eye and efficiently knocking the shorter man backwards into the sea with himself falling on top of him.

Another wave washed over them and Kaiba found enough seconds to worry for a moment about Jounouchi drowning beneath him before he felt Jounouchi's shoes kick aggressively at his side and successfully knocking the breath out of him. He coughed but managed to get a grip on Jounouchi's collar and pulled the blonde upwards to him.

"Fuck you Kaiba!" Jounouchi screamed as he clawed at the taller guy to get out of his grip and Kaiba shut him up with a tight punch squarely at his stomach.

As Jounouchi doubled over, Kaiba found himself panting hard from all the punches from the last few minutes. The waves were still rolling in and it was getting increasingly difficult to stand in the sea without being washed over. The mixture of sea water and rain in his eyes was causing his eyes to tear. And the sky was getting darker by the minute.

A lightning struck nearby and the thunder deafened out Jounouchi's growl as Kaiba found himself being knocked sitting into the waves again with. He barely had time to register the pain in his torso before Jounouchi continued with his outburst of attacks. Gritted his teeth at the pain, Kaiba gripped the shorter man's shoulders and lunged forward so that now he was on top of Jounouchi, who was glaring daggers at him.

Even breathing hurt now. But Kaiba wasn't prepared to lose the fight. Especially one that he had started. But apparently, neither was Jounouchi. With a grunt, his puppy suddenly lunged forward, and knocked their heads together.

The stars were out. Or maybe not. Jounouchi blinked as a searing pain pounded in his head.

So maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to use a head punch. His head was spinning and he could barely pull himself up, less say avoid Kaiba's retaliating outburst of punches. But fortunately, his last attack seemed to have a similar effect on Kaiba, who has stopped attacking him, and was nursing his head in a similar manner and swearing in a less than respectable manner.

"Fuck you, mutt." Kaiba growled as he stood up and Jounouchi would have laughed out loud at the sight of an obvious red bump on the taller guy's forehead if his own head wasn't spinning like it was on a roller coaster ride.

"No thanks, Kaiba."

The wave washed over them again and now, the cuts on his lips and fists were starting to sting from the salted water. Kaiba had meant to hurt him when he punched the air out of him. And though he was sure nothing was broken or cracked, it hurt when he breathed and his head was still pounding so hard a blood vessel could burst.

"You alright?" Kaiba asked testily.

"No!" Jounouchi snapped, "You don't kiss and punch someone and then go asking if they are alright!"

"You are bleeding."

"My head hurts so shut up." Jounouchi felt like simply throwing his head back into the cold water and maybe the cold would wash his burning head away. Kaiba's exasperated sigh almost made him snap again before he felt a firm hand pull him towards the shallower part of the ocean and then out of the water.

"My car is in the other direction." Jounouchi muttered, as he tried to stagger to his feet and only succeeded in stumbling over his own legs and dropping back to the sea.

"I'm driving you." Kaiba scowled, pulling him against his shoulder so that Jounouchi's weight was mostly on him.

"Where to?"

"Varon."

"So you find now an extremely appropriate time to visit a SEX therapist?" Jounouchi almost snapped as he tried to pull away, failing terribly. His head was still spinning and one eye hurt just trying to keep it open.

"You and I need a doctor now, and he is the nearest one from here before we freeze to death in our car." Kaiba snapped and Jounouchi finally brought himself to take a good look at the taller man, who looked as if he had just survived an especially violent Shadow Game, barely. There were cuts on the CEO's face, with the two at his lip and the nose being the deepest and bleeding, and there were obvious marks near his eye and cheekbone that indicated heavy bruises in the next few days.

He was pushed unceremoniously into Kaiba's car as the sky finally broke open its dam and the rain started pouring down heavily.

Jounouchi turned away and watched the rain beat down relentlessly on the windshield.

The drive continued for what almost seemed eternity, yet it was only moments.

Some time not long ago, Jounouchi thought, they had similarly sat in this manner in Kaiba's car, where they would have chatted, talked, had small but fun arguments.

He could almost speculate that one of the conversations might be again of travelling around the world together – Kaiba would comment that the sunset was beautiful, and he, Jounouchi would say he had heard that sunsets are spectacular on the silk road and how he hoped to visit the place someday, and then Kaiba would comment that he could bring him there any day. And Jounouchi would then retort that he could go himself and did not people to bring him around, or he would be the one bringing Kaiba on a frills-free, cheap backpacking trip around China or Europe, something unlike anything the great CEO had done before, and Kaiba would argue that he could survive a frills-free cheap backpacking, that he had backpacked Europe before, which Jounouchi might follow up that Kaiba did it with a wallet full of credit cards and 4 personal guards within 100 meters of him…

A picture of happiness. A full contrary to the anger and silent gloom that filled the car at that moment. He almost wanted to smile at the blissful image he had conjured up, or chuckle bitterly at the irony that it might occur.

Would any of these conversations take place again? In this car? Beside this man? With this man?

Kaiba pulled the car over suddenly, so suddenly that Jounouchi was taken by surprised.

"Where did we go wrong?" Kaiba quietly asked, dropping exhaustedly into his seat, his voice trembling.

Jounouchi felt his throat go dry. He could not look at Kaiba, not at the usually proud and confident Kaiba, looking defeated and lost, and knowing that he was the cause of the pain. Yet neither could he face the painful memories that came flashing across his solitude darkness.

Him, lying in his veterinary office, half delirious with flu, but aware and hearing Kaiba moving around beyond the door in the shop, cleaning up the place, talking softly to the animals, speaking to the occasional customers. And he felt calm, peaceful, knowing that Kaiba could handle the shop and he could rest.

Him, sitting beside Kaiba in Kaiba's car with a disgusted face while Kaiba cajoled and coerced him into drinking Eucalyptus tea.

Him, half drunk and sluggish, on Kaiba's back, feeling the warmth of the taller man through the thin shirt material, and the sweet cinnamon smell. Kaiba, patting his back soothingly while he retched so badly till tears flowed over the toilet bowl.

Him, watching Kaiba's finger gently running over the piano as if it was an alarmed living creature that required extreme care and gentleness in its treatment. A moment of musical eternity where eternity seemed to drowned out the music. A picture painted in time of him, simply watching Kaiba playing, and Kaiba concentrating hard on his playing.

Him, sitting in the school bus beside Kaiba, horribly shaken by the ordeal, his eyes glued on the twins as if they might just vanish from his life. Kaiba's hand, reassuringly on his, before strengthening its comforting clasp around his.

Him, still smelling of the sea water, pulling Kaiba into a reassuring hug impulsively, because he could see the fright in Kaiba's eyes, could feel Kaiba's shock and fear of almost losing him.

Him, watching Kaiba in his car from the window that overlooked the driveway. Kaiba, still amusingly dazed by their kiss, and when Kaiba looked up at his dark unlighted room, he was certain Kaiba couldn't see him, but they knew the other was there.

Him, watching Kaiba attempt to make conversation with the gang. As misanthropic as the man was, he really tried his best to chat up the gang and break into the gang – something he would probably never had done if it was not for Jounouchi.

Him, squirming and hollering as Kaiba pinned his thumb onto the share transfer contract forcefully but painlessly. If one part of him knew it was part of Kaiba's ploy to get him to stay, he also knew that it meant Kaiba was nuts about him. Over the moon. Stupidly in love with him.

Him, pretending to be asleep, frustrated with his own lack of confidence in performing sex with a man. Kaiba's chest rising and falling regularly and reassuring below his head, but the man was probably having just as hard a time falling asleep.

Him, sitting in the waiting room with his face buried in his hands, Mokuba pacing up and down, pausing at the ICU door glass panel every now and then with a grim look on his face, watching the doctors hover inside the room.

Him, watching the orange light of Kaiba Corporation cascade into darkness like a domino effect beside Kaiba. He could feel Kaiba's pride – Kaiba Corp was all of Kaiba, beside Mokuba and family, and he was the person Kaiba wanted to share his pride with.

Him, fingering the silvery cool ring and feeling the hieroglyphics engraved on the metal. A gift much heavier than it weighed.

Him, standing in shock, as Kaiba stepped passed him avoiding his gaze after their bitter and funny reconciliation and agreement in the toilet.

Him, starring into his mug of beer as Malik grinned patiently at him after offering his one-night-stand deal, his heart pounding at the excitement and the guilt. Him, lying on the hotel bed calmly while Malik cursed him on the hotel room floor. He had kicked Malik off him, out of loyalty and guilt to Kaiba rather than an automatic reflex – a reflex based on his fear of being unable to satisfy Kaiba that had stood between him and Kaiba so many times. Malik had only been too nice to put on his clothes, joke about the incident, and then offer him an Egyptian massage, to ease the pain in his back.

Him, walking of the hotel, getting into his car after knowing of Grandfather Sugoroku's passing away. Grandfather Sugoroku had been the fatherly figure in his turbulent high school life when his own biological father was getting wasted away in alcohol. He had broke down on the road, pulled over and sobbed uncontrollably on the steering wheel, praying and wishing that he had someone to hold on to in such a time.

Praying and wishing that Kaiba could hold him in such a time.

"I never wanted us to hurt each other like this." It was a nightmare. He wished it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare. A living nightmare, one he lived in. The ending to the fairytale that he had feared most, punctuated by Kaiba's trembling voice,

"What did I do wrong?"

* * *

"Why did you come to me?" Varon asked as he dabbed at Kaiba's facial cuts carefully, if not, sadistically.

"You are the only doctor who won't go around telling reporters why we were beating up each other." Kaiba scowled, and winced when his scowling only made his face hurt more.

"I'm a sex therapist, not a paramedic." Varon tilted his head to the side, trying to hide his amusement.

"I'm sure you can play doctor for one day."

"So, why were you fighting?" Varon asked. When Kaiba did not reply, he looked to Jounouchi who was already attended to and was sitting quietly at the other side of the room.

"That's none of your business." Kaiba finally snapped.

Varon frowned, purposely dabbing painfully on Kaiba's face. "Hey, I'm your therapist. I'm, like your counselor."

Kaiba almost wanted to laugh out loud. "I think you did more damage than help."

"He saw me with Malik." Jounouchi muttered, interrupting them.

Varon raised an eyebrow, amused. "You were with Malik?"

"No, I mean. I was, but not that in that meaning, if you get the meaning."

"No I don't." Varon pointed out as he put away the medication.

Jounouchi paused and then shook his head. "That's not the point. It's not about Malik, it is about Se- Kaiba."

"What about me?" Kaiba snapped, his hands on his waist.

Jounouchi scowled and refrained from snapping back at Kaiba. "You…" He bit his lip.

"So what about me?" Kaiba growled threateningly.

"I.. can't explain it to you." Jounouchi threw his hands up in exasperation. "I don't know how to explain to you. Maybe I don't even know what is bothering me right now. Maybe everything is bothering me."

"Alright hold it." Varon cut in. "I'm the therapist here. I'm here to help, so sit down."

Jounouchi glared at him, but sat down, followed by Kaiba who sat down grudgingly beside him as Varon dictated.

Varon took his seat opposite them, and observed the two for a significant amount of time. Kaiba was starring to the open space away from them. Jounouchi was focused on his coffee table that stood between them.

"So, the problem we have here is chastity?"

"No!" Jounouchi objected, jumping up onto his feet and glaring at Varon.

"Alright, calm down." Varon raised a hand, motioning for Jounouchi to sit down. "It is about sex and sexuality, then."

Jounouchi gave him one last grudging glare before sitting back down on the sofa, his arms crossed.

"We know that Kaiba is bisexual, how about you? Do you think you are bisexual?"

Jounouchi sighed, and then sucked in a long breath of air. "I will say that I've never thought I would fall in love with a... man."

Kaiba scowled, momentarily losing interest in the open space to glare swords into the man beside him. "Is it so embarrassing?"

Jounouchi stared back at him.

"Is it so embarrassing to be with me?" Kaiba growled.

"No." Jounouchi replied pointedly. "It is okay to love you, Kaiba, but not a man, like any man."

"So, I'm not a man?" Kaiba retorted.

"Yea, in a way but that is not what I mean." Jounouchi shook his head looking at Kaiba look back at him in disbelief. "No, you are a man, but you should know what I mean."

Jounouchi paused, looking at Kaiba in the eye. "You know what I mean right?"

"Alright" Varon interrupted. "Mr. Kaiba, do you know what he means?"

"Yes." Kaiba hissed.

"Then, my next question is," Varon continued. "Jou, do you find Kaiba attractive?"

Jounouchi swallowed "I've never thought of men as attractive…"

"Hey, we kissed." Kaiba interrupted, looking at Jounouchi in questioningly. "I turned you on, that is undeniable."

Jounouchi wanted to shake the man beside him upside down. "You don't have to declare it to the rest of the world. But that is what I've been trying to say: You are odd."

"Then do you find me attractive?"

Jounouchi scowled. "I guess yes, I'm comfortable with you around."

"Do you find me attractively sexually?" Kaiba pressed.

Varon interrupted "Have you had sex with each other?"

"No." Kaiba snapped quickly before resuming his ignoring of Varon. "Do you find me attractively sexually?"

"I…" Jounouchi trailed off.

Varon nodded knowingly. "He's bi-romantic, not bisexual."

"Nobody asked your opinion." Kaiba swore.

"Hey, I'm the therapist- "

"Shut up." Kaiba hissed before turning back to Jounouchi. "You find me repulsive?"

Jounouchi's mouth dropped open. "No, of course not. I just…" He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Performance anxiety?" Varon chirped helpfully.

Silence filled the room as realization drawn in. Jounouchi closed his eyes and leaned back into the sofa.

"I gave you too much pressure." Kaiba said softly.

"I…" Jounouchi started, and then felt the words flow like a burst dam. "I felt trapped. I didn't know how to live up to your expectations, how to live within the control you have over me. I didn't know how to cope with this new… sexuality, how to… stay a man." Jounouchi buried his face into his hands.

Silence filled the room.

Then, he heard Kaiba stand up and walk out of the room, the door swinging close with a quiet click.

_To be continued_

_

* * *

_**Author's comments.**

Finally! One more Chapter to go.

Thank you for your patience. 2 years is a long wait. Welcome back, our old readers. And hello to our new readers.

The story has almost come to an end, one more shorter chapter and possibly, epilogues.

See you at the next chapter very soon!~


	23. Chapter 20: He goes left & you go right

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gig-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Production__s__._

**Chapter 20 **_**He goes left and you go right**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

"That cat scratched me!" Jono moaned.

"You didn't hold it properly." Jounouchi admonished as he shampooed the knocked-out cat.

The anesthetic had kicked in quickly, but not before the cat had made its last struggle for escape.

"I hate bathing cats."

Jounouchi shrugged. "It's good business."

Jono answered with a pout, as he continued to run his scratched arm under the tap.

"Where is Seth?"

"Outside, reading." The younger of the twins answered. "Ms Yamato wants each of us to read a book and tell the story to class on Monday."

Jounouchi nodded, recalling that Seth had mentioned it the night before while digging through their huge collection of Duel Monster books.

"And I presume you're done with yours?" He raised a brow. Despite the tremendous improvement Jono had in his reading since starting school, the day the younger twin completed a book voluntarily, Duel Monsters would be stomping Domino City.

The younger twin grinned and declared, "I finished mine yesterday."

Jounouchi almost dropped the limped cat into the tub of luke-warm water.

The sun must have risen from the other end of the world that morning. Quiet, hardworking, calm and cool Seth was the one who was more conscientious in his work, not the boisterous, playful, hot-headed Jono.

"Harpy helped me with it last night, with my other homework." Jono explained, beaming.

"Oh." Jounouchi, still stunned from Jono's sudden change.

He liked his kids the way they were. With Jono being the playful kid who reminded him of his younger self - playful and quick-tempered. And Seth who was a complete opposite of what he had been. And though he loved Seth just as much, he couldn't help but enjoy Jono's resemblance to himself more.

And he could understand how Jono had taken to Harpy. It was similar to how his younger self had taken to Mai. Mai was like the gorgeous, sexy, older sister to them. The one who took care of them even though she pretended that she did not care. Taking after her mother, Harpy took care of all the younger kids whenever they were all together.

He had found himself attracted to Mai inevitably. Mai, the sex icon.

Jounouchi almost gulped.

Would Jono someday see Harpy as a sex icon? The young girl was already blossoming. Jounouchi had no doubts that she was going to grow up to be a voluptuous vixen like her mother.

Jounouchi squeezed his eyes shut.

Oh god, he did not want to think about Jono growing up right now. What if Jono ended up completely like him –struggle through school, miraculously land up in med school someday, and then enjoy a happy and messy Casanova life in his university years? Well, there was nothing really wrong with it, after all, he himself went through it and enjoyed part of it. But there were things that he did which he hoped his sons would miss. But it was of course, beyond his control.

Fortunately, he could comfort himself with the insight that Seth, his other son, should be easier to handle. He has been a good kid since he was a baby, with very strong sense of right and wrong, and a very calm attitude to almost everything – minus the paranoia and obsessive compulsion over words. All Jounouchi had to worry about was the influence of Seth's evil twin, which could be very strong sometimes and that was usually how the twins got into trouble.

But heck, he could deal with trouble. Trouble had been his middle name since junior high school.

Though, sometimes he truly wondered where Seth got his genes from, especially the quiet and reserved part. Seth's mother wasn't a very quiet person. She was cheerful, bubbly and outgoing. And though the twins had came to him looking like mirror images of his baby-self, Seth always had darker golden brown hair – a genetic inheritance from Jounouchi's mother. Shizuka shared the same genetics. However, unlike Shizuka, whose hair remained a light share of brown, Seth's hair grew progressively darker as he grew.

He peered closely at his younger, blond son, who had by then stuck his hand into the tub and was making the water in a tub swirl.

"Super cat washing machine!" The boy declared happily, as the water splashed about.

Jounouchi smiled. He was being paranoid for no reason.

He could assume at least that right now, to Jono, Harpy was nothing more than a very very nice sister who was helping him with his homework.

"She helped you with your homework, not help you do your homework, right?" Jounouchi reminded.

Jono shrugged. "Something like that."

Jounouchi frowned, and then relaxed. Mai was a great parent, and surely would make sure that Harpy did not help Jono do his homework.

He owed Mai too much. Mai had did him the greatest favor the day before, when an emergency patient had came in suddenly right before he was suppose to pick up the kids at school. Mai had cheerfully agreed to pick up the kids on his behalf. He had called the school ahead to inform them that a family friend would be picking up the kids. The twins were more than happy to meet Harpy, to the extent of insisting on having Jounouchi join them for dinner at Mai's after his emergency case.

Jounouchi was more than glad to join them. He missed Mai. Mai had been his soul mate for years. They shared the burden of raising kids as single parents together. They were there for each other when they needed someone by their sides.

But things had changed since Kaiba came in to the picture. Mai had promised to keep her distance. Even now that he and Kaiba were not going well, she still kept to her word.

The conversations the night before had not included Kaiba nor Varon, but Jounouchi saw shredded pieces of Varon's clothing in Mai's rubbish bin which hinted that Varon must have visited recently. He wondered if Mai and Varon had reconciled (again) and perhaps fought (again). He knew Varon make his attempts to visit Mai and Harpy every now and then. He knew that Mai really does love Varon – enough to have his child, but Mai did not trust him to be a good father and husband, because Varon was too young, too controlling and Mai was a free spirit.

Like he was.

In some ways, he feared that he and Kaiba would become like what Mai and Varon were now.

Loving each other, but unable to stand each other.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?" Jounouchi turned his attention back onto his young son who was looking up at him quizzingly.

"Why don't we go to Kisara's anymore?" He added. "You used to bring us over every week."

Jounouchi turned back to the cat quietly.

Because that would mean going over to Kaiba's place.

And he couldn't do it.

Not now.

Not yet.

He drew in a breath and forced a smile,

"Well, we haven't been visiting Harpy for a long time either and I don't see you complaining."

"Yeah... but that's different." The younger boy pointed out.

Jounouchi shrugged. "It's not. Besides, you see Kisara 5 days out of 7 days at school."

"Of course it's different!" Jono frowned, "You were going to marry Kisara's daddy!"

Jounouchi dropped the poor cat, still half-dazed from his injection into the tub of water. That was as good as Domino City under attack from Duel Monsters.

Marry Kaiba.

Tears or laughter?

He didn't know which one to break out into.

He wasn't even sure which would flow first.

His need to remain sane in front of Seth and Jono was the only thing stopping him from bursting into cackles of mad laughter and tears. Children did not deserve seeing their parents' weaknesses or madness, at least not at such a young age when they still worshipped their parents. That was what he believed. His drunkard father had showed too much weaknesses and madness to him in his childhood days, and Jounouchi never appreciated him for that.

Still feeling like Duel Monsters were suddenly stomping Domino City, Jounouchi stared down at this younger son. "Jono, who told you that?"

Jono shrugged, "Uncle Bakura said when two people are in love, like him and Uncle Honda, they get married. You love Kisara's daddy, right?"

Jounouchi looked at his son, incredulous.

What have Bakura and Honda been telling his children?

And just how much and what have his children been led into believing?

Then again, Jono's question was not out of the topic.

Did he love Kaiba?

Did he not love Kaiba?

"Daddy, the new puppy is rolling in his pee!"Seth's voice rang from the pet shop part of the premises.

Jono continued to stare at him somberly.

"Jono, love, marriage… Marriage and love are a lot more complicated than that ….We'll sit down and talk about this later." Jounouchi finally managed to say.

"Dry the cat." He passed the cat unceremoniously to Jono and hurried out of the vet.

He pushed past the curtains at the end of the corridor and stepped into the pet shop premise of Puppy Love.

Kaiba.

Love.

Marriage

Do the three words go together?

But Kaiba gave him a ring.

Jounouchi shook his head.

He did not want to think about it. It was too exhausting.

"Dad!" Seth shouted for him again.

Jounouchi returned to reality and could only smile frostily at the sight that greeted him.

His older, brown-haired son was having a losing battle with the cheerful overzealous puppy, which had had its fill of rolling around his pee and was currently shredding the wetted newspapers.

Another, brown-haired man had often stood before the same cage, exasperated. The CEO had tried so many times and failed comically to help clean the showcases and tame the puppies, all so that the owner of the shop could clean up the pet shop faster and they could leave earlier for their dates or dinners.

Dates and dinners.

Extravagant events where Kaiba would bring him to his private yacht, or onto one of Kaiba Corp's dinner cruise, or some other getaway.

Or home-cooked dinner at one of Kaiba Corp's apartments or just a simple meal at a nearby fast-food restaurants with the kids.

Forget the dates and dinners.

Forget about Kaiba standing in front of the cage, trying to hold back his customary curses and swears.

He might never even step into the shop again.

If he knew Kaiba well enough, if Kaiba had decided that this was the end for them, Kaiba would never meet his eye again. Kaiba would never go near him nor places where Jounouchi frequented. Kaiba would walk away, and walk on and on without looking back.

Is this the end?

Hasn't Kaiba already walked away?

And Jounouchi had not stopped him.

"Dad?"

Jounouchi looked down to see a concerned Seth looking at him.

"Sorry, drifted off." Jounouchi smiled reassuringly and grab the dirty puppy at the nape of his neck.

The puppy stiffened at the shock of being punished and then hung limply with a sigh of defeat.

"That's how you punish a naughty puppy." He demonstrated and handed the puppy to Seth.

"I know, but he kept struggling and I was afraid that I might hurt him."

"Don't worry. It doesn't hurt them. Their mothers do the same thing to them when they get naughty."

"Oh-kay." Seth smiled then paused, peering curiously at his father. "Daddy, are you okay?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Jounouchi smiled and ruffled the brown messy hair.

"You looked like you were thinking… of not so happy things?"

"Hmm… I was just thinking about… some stuff. Don't worry, everything is okay." Jounouchi assured, his amazement at how much kids notice nagging him. "Now, do me a favor, give him a quick shower dry him, alright buddy?"

Seth did not look convinced, but returned a smile nonetheless, "Okay daddy."

He watched his son scamper off to the back of the pet shop with the puppy before turning his attention to the mischievous puppy's showcase box. The box stank of wet smelly newspaper. He shook his head in resignation and set off the clean the mess.

On the other side of the glass showcase, several Domino High students, on their way to their sport clubs and societies activities on the peaceful Saturday morning, were strolling by and throwing excited glances and coos at the mewing, whining puppies and kitties in the showcases.

The traffic turned red and cars stopped to let the students cross the road. The students reluctantly lost interest in the small animals and headed off to cross the road.

Jounouchi watched the students cross the road absently, before his attention was drawn to the car stopped right before the crossing students.

Black Hyundai Matrix.

Jounouchi's heart skipped two beats.

He did not have to look at the car twice to recognize the car he had rode so many times, and even driven a few times.

He did not have to look at the back license plate which would spell KAIBA.

He did not have to look at the front license plate which would spell SETO.

He could see Mokuba with his long playboyish hair in the passenger seat. And if he looked a little harder, a little longer he knew he would be able to see the person in the driver's seat.

His hands shaking stiffly, he pulled the wet smelly newspapers out of the showcase, crushed them and turned away.

* * *

Kaiba tapped the wheel silently, his eyes focused on the traffic light in front of him.

The traffic light was taking much longer than usual to turn green; the animated students from Domino High were laughing and cheering around as they crossed the road in front of him.

"Can't we stop at Puppy Love for just five minutes?" Kisara begged again, eyeing the showcases of the pet shop right beside the traffic light junction longingly.

"Your uncle Mokuba will be late for his meeting."

Mokuba, in the front seat beside him, raised a brow innocently and started, "I'm not in a hurry. And why do I have work on Saturday?"

"And Kisara will be late for her therapy session." He finished, ignoring Mokuba's and-BEWD-ate-my-homework-look.

Kisara pouted and turned away from the window, "Then can we just stop by the pet shop on the way back? We'll be coming back the same way right?" She asked hopefully.

"We'll be heading home straight afterwards." Kaiba replied softly, ignoring the huge disappointment on his daughter's face. "Then I have to get back to office to work."

Kisara's face fell.

Then she looked up again and suggested hopefully. "In the evening? You will be home for dinner right?"

Kaiba looked away guiltily.

"I have a net meeting tonight."

Mokuba frowned. "Why are you working on Saturday? And, that meeting isn't that important is it? Why do you have to schedule it at night?"

Because I need to be occupied.

Because I need to be doing something.

Because I need to stop myself from thinking about Katsuya.

"I just want to get it over and done with." Kaiba answered, fixing his eyes on the road.

Mokuba watched him quietly, and then shrugging, turned to the mopping Kisara in the back, who looked like she was ready to kick up a fuss if only she did not want to enrage her father.

"Hey, cheer up kiddo." Mokuba comforted, "You'll be seeing Seth and Jono again on Monday."

Kisara sighed, frustrated and turned back towards the windows.

"Tell you what. I will be home for dinner. I can go back to work after that." Kaiba promised.

The girl burst into a huge smile and turned back to the window, humming happily to herself.

"Hey that's uncle Jounouchi." The young girl pointed out brightly.

Kaiba missed a beat in his tapping.

From the corner of his eyes, he watched Jounouchi turn away quietly.

* * *

Jounouchi stared at the piece of paper before him.

He did not need to look up to know that Kaiba's car was gone.

A group of students crowding in front of the shop's window showcase meant that the traffic light had once again turned green for cars to go.

Why did he walk away?

Would it not have been better if he had stood there?

Then he would have seen Kaiba, he would be able to see if Kaiba was doing well.

Kaiba might have seen him.

Maybe they would smile at each other, and everything would be fine again.

Or maybe Kaiba would turn away coldly, and he would know that that was it.

The end.

A final good bye to their 5 month old relationship…

God, it felt like 5 years.

The pet shop door swung open.

Jounouchi looked up from the cashier counter, his heart thumping, his mind coming up with a million crazy scenarios.

Reality struck almost as fast as his new shop assistant greeted him with a bright greeting too cheerful for his mood, before moving to the back of the pet shop to make preparations to start her shift.

Jounouchi turned his attention back onto the veterinary report he was supposed to fill up since earlier that morning and buried his head into his arms.

It was exhausting.

He was exhausted.

Exhausted from second-guessing Kaiba.

Exhausted from second-guessing himself.

Exhausted from all the questions that were going through his head.

And all the emotional ups-and-downs that he was feeling.

His eyes inescapably strayed over to the office phone on his desk.

A particular string of number ran through his mind, as it had often been ever since he memorized the numbers.

It wasn't difficult, considering how frequent he used to call that number.

"Hi, how are you? Wanna meet up?"

"I missed you."

"I'm sorry."

It seemed so easy, to simply just pick up the phone, dial the numbers, and he would be able to hear the voice on the other side of the line.

A few simple, yet difficult words.

"Sir, I can take over the cashier now. You should get ready for the next patient coming in about 10 minutes later." His shop assistant informed, having come up to stand beside him.

Jounouchi looked up, embarrassed at being caught off guard.

"Right." He murmured.

Picking up the medical report, he walked back into the vet.

Work.

He should stop thinking about other things and concentrate on work.

If only his could.

* * *

"Daddy, can I go play at the playground?"

Kaiba snapped out of his thoughts and looked downward at his daughter, who was tugging at his pants and probably would have yanked it right down had he not been wearing a belt.

"Alright, but just remember the rules-"

"I know, I know!" Kisara rolled her eyes. "I haven't multiplied any Kuribos or tore up anyone's dolls for a long time now! I'm a big girl remember?"

"And big girls still want to play at the playground?" Kaiba laughed softly.

"Daddy!!" Kisara crossed her arms.

"Alright, go."

"Gone!" The hyper little girl gave a happy shriek and scampered off to the playground.

Smiling to himself, Kaiba turned away and headed towards the therapist center's reception counter slowly.

The person there would not be Jounouchi, he knew. After all Jounouchi was still in the pet shop where he drove pass just now, and he was not scheduled to work on Saturdays.

But when he looked up at the counter, the blond messy hair still made his heart pound, made him hold his breath, before he registered the face as a younger boy who worked there part-time.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba." The young man greeted. "Doctor Po will be ready to begin your daughter's session in about 5 minutes. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Thank you." Kaiba replied absently and turned away, feeling his pounding chest relax.

Hope was the quickest route to disappointment.

He already knew, rationally, that Jounouchi could not be there.

But still, he had hoped.

What for?

The rational part of his mind mocked him.

What would you do? Stare at him? Apologize to him? Beg him?

What would you do?

What _can_ you do?

It was frustrating.

He was frustrated.

Frustrated at being unable to do anything.

Frustrated at not knowing what to do.

Frustrated at not knowing what Jounouchi was thinking.

It was killing him.

Jounouchi was right in pointing out that he was a control freak. He could not live not knowing what was coming next. He could not live not knowing what to do next. He needed control over his own life, over the lives of people around him – that was his survival technique.

Without it he could not have survived Gozaburo's dictation over him. Without it he could not survive the running of a world-class corporation at the young age he did. Without it he could not have protected Mokuba from the people around them who wanted nothing but to make use of them and their money. He had mastered the art of controlling what was coming next, and paradoxically, became controlled by the need to be in control.

To think he swore a life free of his father, yet he was here questioning if he had ended up like him. Dictating and controlling over other people.

And if he had a need for control, Jounouchi had the same need for freedom. The puppy could not be controlled, chained or bound. And as much as Kaiba prided himself as the dragon and worshipped Jounouchi as the puppy, he knew that his former adversary was a dragon at heart. A dragon as proud as him and it was only a matter of time before Kaiba's controlling nature choked him.

A dragon's pride could never allow it to be chained for long.

He understood that.

He, too, was a dragon.

One with even greater pride.

But if he had a chance to start over again, he would give Jounouchi more freedom.

"Mr. Kaiba?" The young receptionist called out. "Dr. Po is ready to meet you and Kisara now."

Drawing a deep breath, Kaiba nodded in acknowledgement and went to get Kisara.

* * *

"-and daddy said that he had never intended to marry Kisara's daddy." Jono sighed as he picked up another brown mouse and let it perch curiously in his little hand. He had just finished his 'little talk' with daddy, which extended into a 'little talk' that lasted over an hour. And Daddy had painstakingly explained that he and Kisara's daddy were more than good friends, but were not going to get married, even if they were very very very nice to each other.

Seth, holding a furry white and brown guinea pig in his lap frowned, "Did Daddy say why?"

"Well, he tried to explain, and then he said he couldn't find the words." Jono shrugged. "And that it was too difficult to explain. That it was adult things. And then he said that he and Uncle Kaiba had a" Jono fingered quoted, "big big fight."

"Oh… that fight." Seth nodded agreeing.

He remembered the day daddy had come home with his face plastered and bruised.

Grandma had spent the next hours fussing over him, but daddy had just casually admitted to having been involved in a big fight.

The next day, Kisara had announced in school that her daddy also got into a fight the night before, and whispered to them that she overheard Uncle Mokuba asking her daddy if he had a fight with Uncle Jounouchi.

That was very bad news.

And what was worse, Daddy had not been bringing them over to Kisara's after school and on the weekends. It was almost as if Daddy was purposely avoiding Kisara and her daddy. Especially the way Daddy would dilly-dally in the morning until the last minute before sending them to school so that they arrived at school right before the bell rings – unlike Kisara's daddy who would send Kisara so early sometimes she was there before the janitor even arrived.

Seth stroked the guinea pig glumly.

Things were not going well at all.

He had asked Aunt Mai yesterday before daddy had arrived at Aunt Mai's house for dinner, whether Daddy was quarrelling with Kisara's Daddy, and why they couldn't just shake hands and be friends again.

Aunt Mai had given him a little sad smile, and answered that, in the adult world, things were not that simple. People didn't just shake hands and then become friends again, like what children do.

He wasn't sure what that meant, but Harpy had pulled him away, and away from Aunt Mai's earshot, told him that it was complicated, and that it was probably why her daddy doesn't live with them. The always bubbly girl had then beamed and happily described how her daddy had came over for dinner the night before and they had a very nice time watching videos together. However that morning, she explained with a shrug, her mom and dad had a shouting match again, and her mom threw her dad out of the house.

"They are always fighting." Harpy had said casually. She was used to it.

Will that happen to Daddy and Uncle Kaiba too?

He did not want that. Aunt Mai looked sad and lonely when she thought no one was looking at her. He did not think that Aunt Mai really want to quarrel with Harpy's daddy.

Ahhh.

Seth wanted to throw his hands up in exasperation if he wasn't worried about the guinea pig flying across the room.

Adults were so hard to understand! Why couldn't they just shook hands and become friends again? He and Seth had thousands of fights but they always became friends again within the day! Okay, the longest fight they had was 2 days when Jono had tore up his Blue Eyes Legend playbook but they were still friends in the end!

The upset little boy was brought back to reality when the little gerbil in his lap shifted and jumped off dangerously onto the floor to explore the greater continent. Sighing, he bent down and picked the furry creature up. "Oh no, you are not going anywhere." He scolded.

"You know, maybe daddy doesn't intend to get married at all." Jono remarked absently. "Like, you know, he and Aunt Mai are very very good friends too but they didn't get married too. Maybe Uncle Kaiba is to daddy what Aunt Mai is to daddy. Just very very good friends."

"No!" Seth shook his head fiercely. "It is totally different!"

"And you know it." The elder twin insisted.

Jono sighed and admitted, "I know. I know it's different. When daddy is with Kisara's daddy, he feels different. Different from when he is with Uncle Yugi, Uncle Honda or Aunt Mai."

"He seems more…" Seth nodded as his little brain searched for the suitable word, "alive?" The word seemed odd by strangely fitting as he couldn't find any other word.

"Yeah. When daddy is with Kisara's daddy, I feel like daddy is dueling you know?" Jono placed the little mouse back into its cage of cousins and nephews before sitting down again to look at Seth, "Daddy would be so excited, and focused, as if all the other things in the world don't bother him anymore. Like he's shining! I like daddy that way."

"I know, and so do I." Seth sighed as the twins stared despondently at each other.

Were their daddy and Kisara's daddy never going to be friends again?

The thought itself was enough to make their little heads spin.

"We need the Gods." Seth finally muttered.

Jono groaned and buried his head into his hands, "But how? We've searched EVERYWHERE. It is not in school! And we can't make any plans without Kisara around. And Daddy never brings us to Kisara's place anymore." He added a little grudgingly. "Plus who knows if Uncle Malik would really help us or not."

Seth's face fell too. Despite Uncle Malik's generous offer to help them, the twins still had their suspicions about the puzzling Egyptian. Uncle Malik had given them the littlest of clues on how to find the Gods. If he meant to help them, why couldn't he tell them more about the Gods instead of having them search high and low?

Exasperated, he sighed and concluded. "We will just have to trust him."

* * *

"And Doctor Po said that I am one of her best patients!" Kisara announced happily as she bounced happily in the car seat behind Kaiba. "She says that Seth and Jono talk a lot about me during their sessions too."

"I'm sure she knows that the three of you are good friends." Kaiba remarked, tapping the wheel to some messy rhythm.

"Yup, she says that it would be good if we ALL go out together more, with Seth and Jono and their daddy" Kisara added quickly, "Like how we used to go out together during the weekends and after school."

"Mn." Kaiba grunted.

Doctor Po had asked him to stay for a brief private discussion after Kisara had left the room for the playground first.

"Mr. Kaiba, are you aware that children are very much more sensitive towards their caregivers', their parents' relationships, in this case, your relationship with others?"

"What do you mean?" Kaiba had frowned, doubting his interpretation of the doctor's words.

"I am talking about your relationship with Mr. Jounouchi." The motherly doctor had explained, "I apologize that I may be stepping out of my boundary as a child therapist, but I think it is necessary for me to point out that your relationship with Jounouchi has a very big effect on the children. The children have informed me during our private session that you and Mr. Jounouchi had been very close in the last few months, but been grown apart the last few weeks. You may or may not have noticed it, but the children clearly know what is going on, and are quite confused and worried for their fathers. Thus, I urge you, Mr. Kaiba, to handle your relationship with Mr. Jounouchi very carefully, and if possible, redefine your relationship with Mr. Jounouchi as soon as possible."

Redefine his relationship with Jounouchi. Kaiba almost laughed out loud

If it had been ten years ago. A null relationship defined it all; the mutt had been nothing in his eyes.

Then he had returned to Domino City and by some stroke of fate, they had become friendlier to each other. They had met at the therapist center and somehow managed to strike out a civilized conversation. Were they considered friends at that point? Acquaintances perhaps? Old schoolmates? Old rivals?

Then they had kissed at the beach. Alright, he had forced the kiss onto Jounouchi, but Jounouchi had kissed back.

What had they been at that point? What did they become after that?

He thought they were a couple; they even made the announcement to their family and friends. But Jounouchi obviously had reservations about their homosexual relationship.

Following that, Malik had claimed that Jounouchi slept with him.

Kaiba did not believe it.

He did not want to believe that Jounouchi would betray his trust.

Not like that.

But it had taken days for him to channel out all the emotions, and then when they finally met again, he, Seto Kaiba, had walked out of their relationship.

He was the one who finally left when Jounouchi had given his final reasons for all his reservations. His mind had been a blank. But he knew he had left because he could not stand there facing Jounouchi knowing that he was the reason to all his reservations- His controlling nature, and the stress and chains that it was putting on the other dragon.

So then, what were they now? Back to friends?

He wanted to laugh at the thought.

Were they even friends to start with?

Moreover, Kaiba was not a person who kept up contacts after falling out with a lover. There were people who could stay as friends after breaking up, but Kaiba was not one of them. He believed in giving his all for every relationship, and because of that, it hurt too much to stay friends after breaking up.

And that meant that Jounouchi would not be a friend. He cannot be a friend.

Katsuya Jounouchi would never sit in that empty seat beside him in the car again.

"Daddy?" Kisara poked him from the backseat. "The light has turned green. You can go."

Kaiba blinked and turned away from the seat. Kisara was right. The traffic light had turned green and he was fortunate no car was behind them honking angrily at the stoning Great Seto Kaiba.

Stepping down on the gas, he glanced at the empty seat and frowned.

Pulling the car over to the side, he turned around to see his daughter, happily scribbling stuff into her textbook secretively.

"Why are you sitting in the back?" He demanded.

Kisara's mouth dropped open. "I always sit in the back."

"No. You sit up front if no one is sitting here." Kaiba said calmly. "You loved the front seat."

"But," Kisara bit her lower lip, "That is… that's Uncle Jou's seat now."

Kaiba stared at his daughter, who squirmed in the uncomfortable silence.

"Come up front." Kaiba ordered. "I'm not your chauffer."

Finally, with a huff of irritation and defeat, the young girl opened the door and swung herself into the front seat, making sure to slam the door loud and hard both times.

* * *

Autumn in Domino City came early this year, Jounouchi noted as a strong wind swept all the remaining red leaves of the maple tree onto the floor, which was covered by seas and streams of red and yellow piled along the sides of the street- and where his two Tasmanian devils were currently jumping and creating little fireworks of leaves.

The twins were too lively to be kept locked up in the pet shop all day on a bright happy Saturday. By mid afternoon, they were about ready to explode with all the built-up boredom and need for excitement. And thus, that is the time of the day when Jounouchi would bring them for a walk, allowing them a chance to let out all the pent-up energy.

"Jono, zip up your parker, it's cold." He reminded as Jono jumped into another pile of leaves and red and yellow exploded in a small firework.

"I'm... not... cold." Jono managed to reply between excited pants as he aimed for another pile of leaves. "Can we go to Domino Park? Harpy said there are lots of leaves there!"

"The park is on the other side of town, Jono." Jounouchi replied, "Though, if you can forego the donuts we could turn back and go to the park now."

"We want donuts!" The twins chorused in unison.

"Well then, lead the way, dragons." He smiled as the two squealed in delight as they turned a corner and the huge billboard of Mister Donuts flashed down before them.

He passed them a ten dollar bill, "One for each of you, get a sugar donut for me and a cream donut for our nice shop assistant, okay?"

"Yupz!" Before you could say go, the twins had already sped off to join the queue for the donuts. Jono would definitely be going for his vanilla cream donut, and Seth, his favorite cinnamon sugar donuts, which meant he would have Tasmanian devils on sugar high afterwards, but he could deal with that later.

Now, he just wanted out from the vet to take some fresh air and break from work, and to let the twins let off their excess energy before they started wrecking havoc in Puppy Love from cabin fever.

He strolled a few steps away down the street, turning back a few times to check that he twins were still within sight and finally stopped before a show window of a jewelry store.

And like he knew, they were still there, behind the transparent glass, sitting elegantly on the black velvety table cloth. A tie pin and pair of cufflinks, with a silver Celtic Dragon design on each of them.

They came as a set, perfect for businessmen or CEOs who wore suits and ties everyday. And he knew their prices too. He had seen the set almost two months back and afterwards it had always been at the back of his mind to get them, for _him_.

Silver dragons with a small blue gem on each of the cufflinks.

Very fitting for the duelist holding a Blue Eyes White Dragon deck.

He could imagine how they looked on Kaiba.

He had waited it out. Waited for an occasion to buy them and give them to Kaiba, but it seemed like no really special occasion came up, until he recalled that the CEO's birthday came at the end of October.

And so it seemed like he had found the perfect occasion.

His reflection in the showcase glass mocked him with a bitter smile.

_Will you still give it to him? Do you still have a chance of giving it to him?_

His smile faded away.

2 weeks to Kaiba's birthday.

2 weeks since they last met.

"Welcome. May I help you?"

Jounouchi looked up into the smiling face of the sales assistant who had came out of the shop.

"Oh no, thanks, just looking." Jounouchi replied inattentively

"Wow, that's pretty!" Jono exclaimed as he and Seth popped up beside him, their mouths stuffed full of mini-donuts.

"Are you buying them, daddy?" Seth asked. "The dragons are pretty!" He pointed at the set that Jounouchi had been studying.

The shop assistant smiled, "The dragons are of Celtic designs. For this design, only 2 exclusive sets have been produced. One set, as displayed here, is inlaid with Sapphire. The other set is inlaid with garnet."

Jounouchi nodded absently.

"The red one is nicer." Jono remarked, having moved to the other end of the showcase and was peering curiously at the garnet-gem set.

"The Garnet Set has been reserved for another client. The client is currently looking into buying the Sapphire set to make a pair. I think he's buying it as a collector's item. So if you're interested in it, I will advise you to buy it soon." The girl smiled encouragingly.

Jounouchi felt his heart skip a beat, his eyes wandering over the tiny price-tag.

It was not a cheap set, but still within his financial means.

Collectors' item. It meant that those beautiful dragons would never be worn, but would sit in their cases, to be shown to special guests on special occasions.

Jounouchi felt sorry for those dragons.

Such beautiful dragons were not meant to be hidden away.

"Nah, it's alright." Jounouchi finally said, pulling away from the show window, "We are just looking around. Thanks."

"But it's so nice, daddy!" Seth commented longingly.

The salesgirl continues smiling, undefeated.

"Well, we have bracelets, pendants and other accessories with dragon designs in the shop. Perhaps you would be interested?"

"Dragons?" The twins echoed, their eyes suddenly turning big and hopeful.

"Yes, other than Celtic Dragons, we have Welsh dragons, Chinese dragons and-"

"Do you have the Fire Dragon of Ra?" Jono interrupted.

The what dragon of what? Jounouchi blinked at the faintly familiar term.

The shop assistant looked lost.

"I'm not very sure about that but you could try looking around." She suggested candidly.

"Can we, daddy?" Two hopeful pairs of eyes turned to look at their daddy.

"Pleeeeeeeaseeee?"

Jounouchi shrugged, "Alright."

* * *

It was 3 o'clock on a beautiful Saturday.

Mokuba was right; he had no real reason to be at work, unlike Mokuba, who had every reason to be at work to finish the work he always procrastinated. It was not that Mokuba was not as capable as he was. Mokuba was simply unable to discipline himself into doing his work on time.

Kaiba laid back into his chair and stared across the office.

White carpet, high ceilings. His desk, the chair across the desk. A sofa bed in one corner of the room, which so far has only been used as a bed by Kisara when she visited. The attached bathroom.

The office looked no different from when he had first arrived back in Domino City, but somehow it just felt different.

It felt emptier.

When it definitely was only more cluttered.

Kaiba dropped his head back onto the head rest and stared up at the ceiling.

It was all psychological, and even as he knew it, it did not help.

His eyes wandered over to his mobile phone, lying silently on his desk.

It took all his willpower not to reach for it, and check it again for messages that never came, missed calls that were never made.

And he closed his eyes, pained.

How many times had he reached for the phone, punched in Jounouchi's number but never made the call.

How many times had he typed in a flurry of short messages, edited, reedited and never sent them out?

How are you?

Can we talk?

I miss you.

I love you.

Is it over?

Have you ever noticed how the most important words are made of no more than 3 words?

A soft knocking on his door startled him back into reality.

Shaking his head as if it would shake all the problems out of his head, he commanded softly. "Come in."

Mokuba's long messy black hair made their debut first before Kaiba recognized the sheepish grin on his face.

Kaiba frowned.

"I know that look. It says that you have done something or you are intending to do something I might not agree."

Mokuba grinned wider, shutting the door behind him and quickly settling into the chair across Kaiba.

"Happy Birthday, brother."

Kaiba blinked.

It wasn't his birthday. It was Shizuka's birthday in fact. Jounouchi had a month ago invited him to join them for the celebration dinner. He wasn't sure if he was still welcomed to show up.

"My birthday isn't due for another 2 weeks."

"I know." Mokuba continued nonchalantly. "This is why I was thinking of throwing you a surprise party."

"What a surprise."

"Alright." Mokuba shrugged. "I know you don't like surprises, which is why I'm here telling you about it first."

"I don't mind surprises. It's the party part that I don't like." Kaiba started.

"But it is your 29th birthday!"

"What's so special about 29?" Kaiba asked.

Mokuba looked around the office absently. "Well, I know you won't want to celebrate your big 30, so maybe we can at least throw a big ball party for your 29th?"

Kaiba scowled.

"No."

As if he had expected it, which he no doubt had, Mokuba continued quickly, "It will be in line with the Kaiba Kingdom Duelist Tournament."

"I'm not celebrating my birthday as some promotion gimmick." Kaiba growled.

Mokuba frowned. "It's not really a promotion gimmick… but okay, maybe it is in a way. We will invite some important guests, but family and friends will also be there."

"No." Kaiba had rejected flatly.

Mokuba sighed before giving him his patented puppy-eyes.

"Please? I don't really care about the promotion gimmick or the duelist tournament. The point is, I really want to throw you a fabulous party."

"Mokuba, I'm not in the mood for a party. Besides, I'm going away coming Wednesday for my annual Kaiba Land Tour for 2 weeks. I won't be here for my birthday."

"Cut your trip short. The Kaiba lands are fine." Mokuba pointed out.

Kaiba had paused in his pen-twirling, and that was the one pause that perhaps gave Mokuba the idea that he was considering the prospect.

"Look. I know you aren't doing that great these two weeks. I don't know whether you dumped Jou or the other way round, but Kisara and I can both see that you are not happy. So let's just have a party and you just go and enjoy yourself."

Dumped Jounouchi or the other way round? Was that what Mokuba and the others felt?

"I don't enjoy parties." He replied dryly.

"Even if you don't. At least Kisara would." Mokuba pointed out.

That was the hit on the nail on the head.

He owed Kisara. He was selfish enough to leave Kisara at home for most of the two weeks and Kisara had already voiced out how much she missed her father. He had needed the solitude to clear his head.

Mokuba was right. Kisara would love the party. Dr. Po was right, his moods did have an effect on Kisara and if anything would cheer Kisara up, it would be a big party.

"I mean, you are one great person. You are like, the richest and most powerful person in the whole of the Domino City, and you really really do deserve a huge celebration. Just once in your lifetime, and once in a lifetime, let me, your brother throw you a birthday party." Mokuba had said. "I promise it will be a really awesome party. You will love it."

Kaiba blinked, and then turned to watch his brother, who was looking back at him with hopeful, candid eyes.

"I will think about it." Kaiba finally said.

"All right!" Mokuba broke out into a big smile. "I will get Kisara to talk you into it!"

Kaiba raised a brow and watched Mokuba skipped out of the room.

His brother loves celebrations of all sorts.

Kaiba leaned back into his chair and wondered what he was doing before Mokuba barged into the room.

It didn't take long before all the thoughts came back and he regretted being reminded of it.

His eyes wandered to the closed drawer in his desk.

The drawer to his left, locked with the silver key still in the keyhole.

A locked chest that he could open any moment, if he wished to.

Closing his eyes, he turned back to his computer, intent on finding new work to do and shutting out of his mind whatever was locked in the drawer.

* * *

Jounouchi had just finished cleaning up the pet shop when the front door swung open.

"Grandma!!" The twins greeted and ran over.

"Mom." Jounouchi raised a brow, "Why are you- oh, right, Shizuka's birthday." He almost slapped himself on his forehead. The birthday dinner celebration for Shizuka had completely slipped his mind.

"Being a tad forgetful these few days aren't you?" His biological mother teased as she hugged her grandchildren.

"Work overload." Jounouchi replied guiltily, that he had forgotten his sister's birthday celebration was really a first.

"Well, seems more like someone has been loading himself with work."

Jounouchi shrugged, "Once a workaholic, always a workaholic. Er, why don't you drive the kids there first? The assistant went to get her dinner. She won't be back for about half an hour

"We're not in a hurry. Seth, Jono, why don't you run out and get your grandpa to park and bring you to the candy shop on the next street?"

"They just had donuts for tea." Jounouchi quickly pointed out.

"And they will be having candy for pre-dinner." His mom announced.

"Yay, grandma rocks!!!" the twins cheered and ran out of the pet shop before Jounouchi could say anything.

He rolled his eyes and started to take off the apron that he wore for cleaning the pet shop.

"So, is Kaiba coming?" His mother suddenly asked.

"I don't think so." Jounouchi replied as casually as he could. "No."

"Are you two fighting?"

Jounouchi rummaged for an answer as he checked the locks of the gerbil cages.

"So we did." He finally admitted.

"Fighting both literally and metaphorically?"

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. His mother had seen the bruises and cuts when visiting the day after his fight with Kaiba, and had since then been nagging him for details.

"Yes, we beat each other into pulp and we're still angry with each other." He growled.

His mother frowned. "Katsuya, I don't want to sound unsupportive, but I really want you to take this opportunity and seriously think about whether you need him in your life."

Need. That was the deciding word wasn't it? He hadn't needed Kaiba before the man came into his life. And life would probably go on just as well if Kaiba was no longer part of his life.

Except that the coming days would seem a little more grey and dreary, as if colors had been sucked dry of them.

How poetic.

"I will handle it myself, mom."

"I don't like the fact that he hit you." His mother said disapprovingly. Domestic violence was part of the reason why his mom divorced his father, though he didn't know who actually executed more violence between his parents. During his father's drunkard rampages, he had seen the old man slap his mother and throw her around, but his mother had her part in verbal and emotional abuses towards the old man too. And not to mention the bottle throwing and screaming at the old man that resulted in their worried neighbors dialing for the police more than once.

"I had my fair share of the fight. He definitely didn't suffer fewer punches than me." Jounouchi replied. "In fact, I was the one who started hitting him first."

His mother stared at him exasperatedly, "Katsuya, can't you see that he will only do you more harm."

"Mom, just let me handle it myself." Jounouchi could feel his blood boiling. He couldn't understand why he was defending for Kaiba, but his mother's assertive attitude was pushing him to an edge he was trying to avoid.

"I know you will handle it yourself." His mother said, her voice softer now. She sat down on the couch and sighed, "You've always been taking care of yourself, Katsuya. But what I really wish for you, is just that you would find someone who can take care of you. A nice girl perhaps." She added a little grudgingly, "One who won't hit you when he's angry."

"He did not hit me because he was angry and lost control." Jounouchi muttered through clenched teeth. "We had a fight. Both of us had turns at hitting each other."

"But you know he could hurt you a lot more right? If he really wants to, with all those money and power he has, he could sue you or hire some hit man or something like that. They say he killed his father."

Jounouchi couldn't help but laugh at the far-fetched imagination, "Mom, you are over-reacting. Kaiba didn't kill his adoptive father. The guy jumped off the building because he couldn't stand watching the product of his creation overpowers him."

His mom stared at him, her mouth a perfect 'o', before finally resigning. "I just want you to be careful, and happy."

"I know, Mom." Jounouchi nodded, only too glad to end the conversation.

* * *

Kaiba liked to walk while deep in thought. It helped him think. It helped him relax in the evening after a day of work. But he had quickly figured out that no one wanted to see a CEO pacing up and down in his office – it somehow caused the employees to worry excessively - thus he had stopped the habit as soon as he had discovered it.

But in the comforts of his house, he continued his wanderings, and today again he found himself meandering from room to room aimlessly, wasting away the time until dinner.

Thinking about nothing.

Thinking about everything.

And when he realized it, he was inside the old music room.

Same old room.

French window.

Dry woody smell.

Old music instruments in the aged room.

The lone cello in the corner of the room near the windows.

The music score stands in the other corner.

The large tall showcase with flutes, trumpets, violins and a variety of other orchestra instruments.

The evening ray lit up the dark room, dust glittering in the air.

And the grand piano in the middle of the room.

In this room, at this piano, Jounouchi had sat beside him, listening intently to his playing.

When the music had ended, they had shared a warm, lasting kiss.

Kaiba took a deep breath, realizing that he had been holding his breathe since he had stepped into the room.

He did not want to walk further into the room.

It was almost as if his mere existence in the room would destroy the memories that were held there.

Why concede to a memory?

Slowly, he walked towards the piano and ran his fingers lightly over the opened keyboard.

Evergreen.

The last melody that the piano had sounded.

Evergreen, always green.

Always.

Unchanging.

The room had not changed.

The melody could flow again.

But the people will not be the same.

His hand fell from the keyboard.

Tears did not threaten to fall.

Pain lingered always in his heart, but he could not bring himself to cry.

Can we go beyond the pain required to cry?

The answer was apparently yes.

He could only feel the tears falling in his heart.

His heart bleeding, crying tears of blood, unseen by anyone including himself, but felt so strongly by no one but himself.

Crying tears of blood where his eyes could not.

Closing his eyes, Kaiba sat down on the piano seat and rested his forehead on the cool score stand, seeing the room darken behind his eyelids.

He did not want any other melodies to ever flow out of the room.

He did not want any other memories to ever be formed in the room.

The room would hold nothing but his memories of Jounouchi.

And he just wanted to lock himself in the room and do nothing else.

Selfish, self-centered, egoist Kaiba Seto.

It wasn't possible.

Kaiba Corp revolved around him.

His brother and daughter needed him.

Kaiba felt a small pair of arms wrapped themselves around his back.

Kisara.

Kaiba opened his eyes.

The evening sun shone its last ray on his daughter, who was hugging him comfortingly.

And he held her back, for a long time, until the room was completely dark.

The last rays of the sun had disappeared behind the horizon and Jounouchi found himself staring out into the creeping darkness as the sea and sky blurred into one.

* * *

The salty scent of the ocean was a wonderful mix with the superb smell of barbequed seafood from the other end of the deck. And that was why they were here. Shizuka had, a month ago, demanded a seafood barbeque dinner for her birthday celebration this year and the best in Domino was on the Battle Ship. A few years ago, Mokuba had expanded and converted the Battle City blimp into a mobile seafood restaurant that took off daily from the Domino City Square at 6pm, tour around Domino City in the air for an hour before landing in the ocean and cruising slowly back to Domino Port.

Given the popularity of the Battle Ship, with its famous seafood restaurant and free arcade games and duel fields, tickets were usually sold out 3 months in advance. But of course, Jounouchi had not had to queue for the tickets. He got them, best seats on the deck and totally free of charge, from the owner of the Battle Ship the day after Shizuka's declaration.

He should have been here today too – the owner of the Battle Ship.

But he wasn't.

Jounouchi had not called him to remind him that he was invited.

Kaiba had not taken the initiative to come either.

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

The sound of the wind moving fast pass his ears as the ship sailed above the sea reminded him of moments not too long ago

Memories brought back by the salty wind.

Kaiba's lips touching his for the first time. His heart pounding, wild thoughts running through his head screaming at Kaiba's impulsive actions.

Kaiba holding him, fearing to lose him, and him, singing softly, on the cruise.

Kaiba holding him again, as they lay in bed, until he relaxed and curled against him.

Kaiba, appearing against the sunset, reaching out for him, kissing him, and then suddenly the two of them were in the water, having the biggest fight of their life.

Jounouchi chuckled.

Bitter-sweet memories.

Like sea water on a painful wound, they stung deep and raw. Jounouchi didn't know if he wanted to remember them or to forget them.

It wasn't a choice of remembering or forgetting either. Eventually, time would build layers of wall between him and Kaiba as well as between him and those memories. Then, just as he thought that the walls were thick enough, he would brush against a familiar experience they shared together, and the walls will collapse as if it was made of paper. The pain would then come again, yet almost immediately, time would start its construction again. Ultimately, enough time would pass, and the pain and the heartaches would stop.

But what if he didn't want to forget?

It stung to think that he could and would forget everything as time passed.

That Kaiba might become just a faded picture hanging at the dusty end of a corridor one day when he wandered his memory lane.

Sighing again, he leaned against the railings and stared vacantly into the deep empty ocean.

"Taking a break before going back for a second round?"

Jounouchi looked up to see the elder Jounouchi standing beside him in a similar stance.

"I think I had my fill."

"Oh, and you ate like a bird."

"Too much donuts in the afternoon." Jounouchi shrugged. He couldn't eat. How could he? Without recalling the one of their many extravagant dinner dates when Kaiba had the entire Battle Ship cleared for just the two of them? Every corner of the ship had a small piece of memory planted, waiting just to be spring up and explode into another round of heartache.

He forced the memories back to the back of his brain again, "Shizuka's having her fourth filling?"

"With Seth and Jono. They are piling up the ice cream bowls."

Jounouchi shook his head laughing. "We'll be having a hell of a time getting them to sleep tonight, with all those sugars in their system."

"They will run off their steam later when they hit the arcades." His father assured.

"I definitely hope so." Jounouchi laughed and turned back to the sea, feeling the wet air on his face.

"Your mother asked me to talk to you." The older man suddenly said, sounding uncomfortable.

Jounouchi kept his eyes on the ocean, deciding to pretend that the waves and the ship's engine had drowned out his father's voice.

"The food here was nice wasn't it?" He turned to the old man and said in a louder voice, as if attempting to make sure his voice was heard.

His father stared at him for a few seconds, "Yeah, it was good."

Father and son stood in awkward silence for a few moments as they listened to the waves.

Finally, the elder Jounouchi spoke, "You can't avoid this forever. Even without your mom saying anything, I know you aren't going that well with Kaiba."

Jounouchi chuckled bitterly and said sarcastically. "Is it that obvious?"

"He hasn't been visiting for a while. You haven't been staying out late much. And he's not here tonight." The elder Jounouchi paused before suggesting quietly, "Maybe you should take a break from work. Go on a holiday or something."

"I've had enough holidays in the past months." Jounouchi shook his head.

"Still, another holiday would still be good. Take a break from life, have a change in the pace. Go somewhere alone, and think where to go on from here."

"I'm really not much of a thinker, Dad."

"Katsuya you should-"

"DON'T. Don't you or Mom tell me what to do with my life!" Jounouchi snapped. The words flowed out angrily, uncontrollably. "Not now, not when you never bothered to care about what I do with my life! When you almost threw your own life away! I lived my own life, you and mom didn't care and life goes on no matter what happens! It went on when mom left. It went on when you decided that being drunk was better than taking care of me!"

He knew that the words would hurt his father badly, but he couldn't stop himself, not at that instant when he simply wanted to lash out his anger.

"Life goes on! So what if people leave? The twins' mother left, and to hell with Kaiba if he wants to leave! There's nothing I can do about people leaving! And I'm not going to break down, go to some bar and drink myself drunk until I can't take care of my own kids!"

His father stared at him, frozen with guilt.

"So, don't you tell me what to do with my life." Jounouchi grinded bitterly, knowing he had finally said the words that had been deep in his heart for years.

He felt his eyes sting but stubbornly kept the angry tears from falling.

"Life just goes on…" he mumbled, struggling to keep his temper under control.

"I'm very very sorry…" His father mumbled, lost for words, standing uncomfortably in the wind, his eyes seeking forgiveness, yet unable to make eye contact with his son.

It did not make Jounouchi feel any better, knowing that his father did not deserve all these right now. His father was now a changed person. He had been trying to redeem himself by helping Jounouchi take care of the twins, knowing that he had not taken care of his own son the way he should had.

Jounouchi took a deep breath, "No. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Should have just gotten over it and left it buried with the past."

He took a step forward and enveloped his father firmly.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry for all the stupid things I've done to you..." His father mumbled, his voice trembling.

Jounouchi tightened his hug around his father.

"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said all those." Jounouchi muttered, feeling his father hesitantly hug him back.

Jounouchi stared at the rolling sea over his father's shoulder, feeling his father's guilty tear wet his shirt.

His heart pained from having yelled at his father, from everything that had happened with Kaiba, but no tears fell.

He couldn't let the tears fall. Because he knew once they started falling, he would fall.

Patting his father's back, he wondered if somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds really flew. Where dreams really do come through.

And he wished he could wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far behind him, where he never yelled at his father, and where Kaiba meant nothing.

* * *

"Ring ring… ring ring… ring ring…"

Seth waited patiently, counting the number of times the phone rang.

Finally, after what seemed like eternity, but was actually at most 8 rings, the phone was picked up with an angry and sharp "Finally!"

Seth swallowed hard.

Kisara sounded really angry.

"Hi, Kisara."

"Finally! I called you 10 times! And you guys didn't answer the phone!" Kisara's angry voice came from the other side.

"Sorry Kisara." Seth apologized, truly apologetic. "We were at the pet shop the whole of today, and then the whole family went out for dinner to celebrate Aunt Shizuka's birthday."

Jono snatched over the phone and interrupted excitedly. "Yeah! The dinner was on your dad's Battle Ship! It was so fun!"

Seth snatched the phone back. Jono pouted but simply pressed his ear to the receiver hoping to catch what Kisara was saying.

"Oh never mind that." Kisara urged. "Have you found the Fire Dragon of Ra?"

Seth bit his lips.

They obviously hadn't. Not even after rummaging the store beside Mister Donuts for almost an hour before their daddy hauled them away. The shop had lots of dragons- Welsh Dragons, Chinese Dragons, Vietnamese dragons, but no Dragon of Ra! It had been 2 weeks since Uncle Malik had mentioned it to them, and Kisara was getting impatient and anxious.

"No…" Seth admitted and winced when Kisara gave a high-pitched shriek.

"So you've been enjoying yourselves at the pet shop and playing on Battle Ship while I'm stuck at home looking for the Obelisk?!"

"We're trying…We went to a shop but they didn't have it either…." Seth feebly defended himself, as Jono crossed his arms disapprovingly.

"Ha, so you've found the Obelisk?" Jono grabbed the receiver and accused.

"Well, no." Kisara admitted, "But I'm really looking HARD for it."

"How?" Jono grabbed the phone from Seth. "You haven't been stuck with large nosey family and grandparents the whole day who keep asking if you've learnt your ABCs and multiplications!"

"Jono!" Seth looked shocked. "Grandpa and Grandma aren't nosey! They just care about what we are doing."

"Yeah," Jono rolled his eyes. "Like that helps in our search for the Dragon of Ra! We're never going to find the Dragon of Ra."

"Don't say that!" Seth insisted.

"We haven't got a clue where to find the Gods and we can't even meet to talk!" Jono pointed out angrily.

"Well, I tried calling you guys and you weren't around!" Kisara protested.

"We were out!"

"Playing!" Kisara repeated her accusations angrily. "While I'm stuck at home!"

"You are being jealous." Jono retorted.

That obviously struck a raw nerve because Kisara's voice came back very upset, "Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Stop it!" Seth shouted.

His feeble attempt did not help.

"Ha, maybe you just don't care whether our daddies get together or not!" Kisara accused furiously, "You would prefer Aunt Mai to be your new mommy so that you could play with Harpy everyday won't you?"

"Kisara!" Seth gasped in disbelief as he watched anger flare up in Jono's eyes.

"Oh you are so right! I would so rather have her as a sister than you!" Jono snapped back. "I really enjoyed playing with her yesterday!"

"Jono!" Seth gasped again. This was not good. First it was their daddies quarreling and now Jono and Kisara were quarreling. If he didn't stop them-

"-and Red Eyes would NEVER win Blue Eyes!" Kisara screeched into the phone.

"What?" Seth was stunned and lost.

Just when did the topic turn to that?

"Oh yeah? I'll show you how, you- you-" Jono searched desperately for a suitable word, "TOM BOY!"

Seth could almost imagine Kisara's furious face on the other end of the line, "I'm not a TOM BOY, you- you- you- NANCY BOY!"

Smoke was puffing out from Jono's ears. "TOM BOY!" He screeched back.

"NANCY BOY!"

"TOM BOY!!"

"NANCY BOY!"

Seth stared on in horror at the screaming competition.

And then he did what he only could. He pulled the receiver out of Jono's hands and slammed it down onto the phone. Jono stared at him in anger and disbelief. "She called me a Nancy boy!"

Seth gritted his teeth. As if their problems could not get any bigger.

* * *

Kaiba stared at the computer monitor absently.

It was night in Domino City, but at the other side of the world, where his net meeting participants were, it was still day. Most of the time, his clients worked to his work schedule, but occasionally, he saw the need to be flexible and work to their schedule instead. But of course, his clients didn't usually work on Saturdays.

It was but a mere excuse to keep himself occupied.

His monitor was off.

It had been off for the last 30 minutes, since the net meeting had ended 30 minutes ago.

There was no work on his table.

He might just have finished all the work scheduled for the next 3 months in the last 2 weeks.

He just did not want to go home.

Mokuba was out for the night, on a date with Rebecca trying to win her heart back.

Kisara would be asleep by now.

The twins should be asleep, in their twin beds by now.

Jounouchi.

Would he be asleep?

His table clock showed that it was 2a.m.

He absently swiveled his chair around and looked out into the city.

Domino City.

Brightly lighted by orange streetlamps.

Streets empty of people.

Kaiba smiled to himself. 2 o'clock in the morning. Wild parties might still be on at nightclubs, but no one would be walking the streets of the central business district.

An early mist was slowly settling over the streets, moving in from Domino Port, a few blocks away.

Kaiba's eyes lingered over the area.

Domino Port was where the Battle Ship had landed hours ago.

The blimp had floated past Kaiba Corp earlier in the younger hours of the night.

He had stared out of the glass window at the reflective glass panels of the blimp, wondering if Jounouchi could be like him, staring out of the glass windows.

Turning back to his desk, he leaned back with a heavy sigh, his eyes once again wandering to the locked drawer in the desk.

He swallowed hard, his throat felt dry.

He could see himself reaching for the drawer, turning the key and opening it.

He would pull out a folded large white cloth.

Inside of it was Jounouchi's tie, from their kiss at the beach.

He wondered if Jounouchi remembered it.

He didn't think Jounouchi actually miss it, since he had never asked about it.

But he had not taken the initiative to return it.

He did not want to return it.

During their happier times, he would take out the tie every now and then during work, and it would boost him through another exhausting day.

But now, he did not want to touch it.

The tie signified the beginning of their relationship.

He feared that if he touched it, it would truly mean the ending of their relationship.

Was it over?

Kaiba blinked and dropped his head onto the table.

It was that moment Mrs. Kazumi chose to gently knock on his open door and pop her head in.

Kaiba looked up in surprise, slightly embarrassed at being caught in such a time.

"What are you doing here at this hour? It's past midnight." Kaiba frowned at the elderly lady.

Mrs. Kazumi smiled.

"I made some coffee and thought you might want some." The kindly old lady said and placed a cup of coffee on his table.

"Oh well." Mrs. Kazumi laughed, looking at Kaiba's frown. "Old people don't need that much sleep. So I came back to finish some work."

"Am I giving you too much work?"

"Oh no." Mrs. Kazumi laughed some more. "It's not really work. I just enjoy coming back to the quiet office at night. I have 4 children and 10 grandchildren you see, and we all live together in a huge mansion. It really is very crowded and noisy most of the time. So I come back for a little solitary and space outside my family and house at night sometimes. But don't worry about it. My family is very loving."

Kaiba nodded absently. "Whatever rocks your boat."

"You, on the other hand, Mr. Kaiba." Mrs. Kazumi pointed out. "You don't look good."

Kaiba shook his head, smiling bitterly.

Mrs. Kazumi tilted her head to a side, "What are you thinking?"

Kaiba blinked.

"Sorry? I didn't catch that?"

"I said, what is going through your mind right now?" Mrs. Kazumi smiled warmly.

Kaiba sat back, rigid.

If he had to put it all down to one sentence, what was he thinking?

He was thinking about Jounouchi.

He was wondering what Jounouchi felt, how Jounouchi was coping, whether he still had feelings over for him, or whether Jounouchi was still considering, whether Jounouchi was still willing to try out their relationship.

"I am wondering." Kaiba paused, "If it is over."

Mrs. Kazumi nodded understandingly, "What do you yourself think? Do you want it over?"

"No." Kaiba shook his head. "But I don't know how he feels."

"Then why don't you ask him?" Mrs. Kazumi offered. "You don't lose anything by asking him."

Kaiba looked up, his mind wiped blank.

Whatever reasons for the hesitations and doubts hindering him from calling Jounouchi, was suddenly gone. He couldn't remember them. Mrs. Kazumi was right. He wasn't going to lose anything by calling Jounouchi. If their relationship was meant to end this way, whether he asked or not wouldn't make a difference – he would have already lost him.

Mrs. Kazumi smiled and headed for the door, "I'll be going to sit at my table for a while before going home. Good night Mr. Kaiba."

* * *

Late night

Half a moon cycle.

It had been two weeks since they last parted in Varon's office.

Jounouchi knew, because he had been watching the moon, every night since then, like he was tonight.

The moon was waning the night Kaiba had walked out on him. The moon was waxing tonight.

A few more nights, there will be a new moon, which simply meant no moon would light the sky that night.

Had Kaiba ever watched the moon, the stars with him? Jounouchi found himself musing and then heaving a huge sigh.

There were so many things they could do together – could have done together.

Camping under the stars.

Fishing at the lake.

Driving around the country with the kids in the backseat singing 999 bottles on the wall.

Watching duel monster matches together and betting on different duelists.

Watching the kids grow up together, go for their first dates, wait worriedly at home for the kids to come home late into the night, send the kids to university with pride and a huge sense of relief.

Grow old together, laugh at each other as they slowly forget things.

And one day, at Grandpa Sugoroku's age, leave the world together hand-in-hand having not woken up from a light slumber.

Jounouchi laughed out loud to himself at the last thought.

The chance of dying together was too cliché.

Kaiba was definitely more likely to die first from the high stress he suffered from work.

And Jounouchi silently wished that Kaiba would die first too, to spare Kaiba the agony of being left behind alone in a world filled with memories of his partner.

Jounouchi sighed, focusing on the moon again.

What are you doing now?

What are you thinking?

How are you feeling?

Are you torn apart? Are you suffering? Are you pained? Are you taking it worse than I am?

Or are you taking it all in stride? Have you moved on? Are you already chasing another blond halfway around the world?

Jounouchi shook his head unconsciously.

No.

He knew Kaiba that much, or at least he hoped he did.

If Jounouchi felt bad for everything that had happened. Kaiba must felt worse. The guy always took everything too seriously.

If Jounouchi hurt enough to kill, Kaiba hurt enough to kill 10 people.

And so he knew Kaiba was hurting too, wherever he was, whatever he was doing.

Closing his eyes, he fell back onto his bed, staring up at the plain ceiling above. It didn't take long before he could not help himself but turned his head and stare stoically at the cell phone lying on bed beside him.

The phone vibrated in silent phone.

He reached out for it, his heart pounding and yet dreading to know who it was at the same time.

Yugi.

His heart fell.

Picking up the phone, he hoped that Yugi would not hear the disappointment in his voice.

Once the short conversation regarding some random event was over, he dropped the phone back to beside him and buried his face into the pillow.

And that was when he felt under the pillow and pulled out a soft shirt with the faint scent of cinnamon.

Kaiba's shirt.

Jounouchi's eyes paused on his hand holding the shirt – his hand, clutching the shirt tighter then it usually treated any other piece of clothing.

The phone rung again, and this time, he let go off the shirt, but did not reach for the phone.

Burying his face into the pillow again, he ignored the phone, the sound of the phone vibrating echoed in the room.

But he could not bring himself to reach for the phone, and possibly meet up with another disappointment.

When the phone stopped vibrating, he curled up into a ball and reached for the phone.

Missed call from Yugi, probably to update him on something missed on their previous conversation.

Jounouchi dropped the phone miserably back onto the bed beside him and closed his eyes.

The next he knew, he was woken up with a start by his phone's vibration and was momentarily blinded from the lights.

He had somehow fallen asleep with the lights on his bed, being utterly exhausted from all the mental activities.

He reached for his phone and blinking away the white spots in his vision sleepily, looked at the caller id.

Kaiba Seto.

He blinked, still groggy from his sleep.

It still read Kaiba Seto.

The time read 3am.

The phone was still vibrating.

In the span of a heartbeat an assortment of emotions bombarded him.

Irritation at being woken up from a deep slumber.

Heavy-eyed from having been woken up at 3am.

Excitement at having a call from Kaiba.

Fear at what was to come.

Worried that it might not be good news.

Then again, nothing could be worse.

He did not want to miss the chance to answer the phone.

Sitting up, he pressed the answer button and put the phone to his ear.

The other side of the phone was quiet for a while, as if surprised that the call was answered. And perhaps, he guessed, nervous and hesitant about what to say too.

Jounouchi listened hard.

* * *

Kaiba wasn't saying anything, but he knew Kaiba was there, thinking about what to say.

Kaiba stood at the roof of Kaiba Corp, learning casually against the safety railing, his cell phone pressed to his ear.

Kaiba Corp was the tallest building in Domino City, and his office sat at the highest point. Only the roof was higher.

The highest, the brightest.

Too bright to even see the stars.

Nevertheless, he liked it up here. Where he could overlook the whole city. Kaiba Corp's light had gone out hours ago. Whatever machines that were previously running were all now shut down. All the employees had gone home. It was quiet, peaceful and a place he could truly call his own, since no one ever came to interrupt.

His private little spot.

Some day, he would like to bring Jounouchi up here, if he ever had the chance.

He wanted to tell that to Jounouchi, right there, right then, on the phone.

But he did not, for the millions of reasons that he should not.

Not there, not then.

"Katsuya." He finally said.

* * *

1) Welcome back~ Our loyal, 6-years-older readers. Hello to our new readers. You're up to the last 2nd Chapter, because we decided to split the final chapter (originally 20) into 2 chapters. If you read the notes for the last chapter, you will realize that we split the final chapter (originally 19) into 19 and 20. So by splitting 20 into 20 and 21, you get one more chapter to read. Don't worry, our chapters are never short. Splitting it simply means we had some loose ends to tie up and that we had too many words and felt they didn't flow well as one chapter.

2) We have Epilogues coming up, to tie up more loose ends.

3) Cliff-hanger! Because the chapter is linked heavily to the next chapter.

4) This chapter is more Jounouchi-centric, which means the next chapter will be more Kaiba-centric.

4) If you're wondering what took the story so long to complete. FoD was starting in mayu and miya's first year of university. The 2nd and 3rd years were particularly busy. During the 4th year, miya went to Hokkaido for exchange. During the 5th year, miya, having returned to Singapore, was busy with her last year of study, while mayu was busy with her first job. Now into our 6th year, mayu is currently in Japan studying animation and CG, while miya is working in an MNC in her home country, but looking forward to working overseas in the next few years. BUT the story never left our mind. We wanted to end it, and not just with any lousy ending. So here you are. We thank you for your patience.

5) Check out the poll on the profile and let us know what you think should happen in the final chapter...(which is 90% completed)XD.

6) Come back tomorrow(25th Oct 2009) for another surprise.


	24. Chapter 21: And it all begun with

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Chapter 21: And it all begun with…**

**

* * *

  
**

One thing to be said for his brother, Kaiba realized as he looked down on the breathtaking evening lawn party below him, was that Mokuba truly organized spectacular parties.

While he had been traveling all over the planet visiting established Kaiba lands all around the world during the last 10 days, including several unexpected stops at areas that were potentially suitable for setting up new Lands, Mokuba had done a miraculously-perfect job of balancing everyday work in Kaiba Land Japan, organizing their newly revived Duelist Kingdom Tournament, officially renamed Kaiba Duelist Kingdom Tournament, and finally, organizing his birthday party.

25th October.

What a day to remember.

His 29th birthday.

He was turning 29 years old.

It wasn't an age he particularly cared for.

Or rather he had never cared much for and had pretty much stopped celebrating his birthday since his biological father had passed away when he was 8 years old. Gozaburo was uninterested in birthdays and Kaiba had never found the appeal of celebrating birthday without his birth parents. But Mokuba had loved birthdays, so much that even as young children under Gozaburo's adoption, Kaiba had often found himself sneaking cakes and presents to Mokuba to celebrate their birthdays.

And then they grew up and became more independent of each other. He settled in New York while Mokuba returned to Domino City. And he stopped celebrating his birthdays again.

Until 3 years ago, on his last tour of the Kaiba Lands, during his last stop in Egypt when he had discovered Kisara and adopted her. The young girl was another Mokuba, in love with birthdays, cakes and presents. And since then, every year they had a small celebration where he would bring Kisara to pick out a lovely cake so that her daddy could celebrate "growing up" and blow out candles.

29th Birthday.

Kaiba couldn't help but smile remembering how Mokuba and Kisara had handed him a 20-paged essay on the reasons for him to celebrate his 29th birthday.

Mokuba had promised a breathtaking, awesome party. One that Kaiba would love.

And Mokuba had been true to his words.

The venue decided on was Duelist Kingdom Island. Almost a year back, Mokuba had somehow convinced him to contact his old time nemesis Pegasus Maximillion and procure the island when they decided to revive the Duelist Kingdom Tournaments. And why not, Mokuba had reasoned with him then. The island had been left on its own to rot and collapse after the Duelist Tournament held by Pegasus more than ten years ago, but yet it was a perfect Dueling island on its own, with practically all kinds of terrains, ranging from mountains to sea, plains to underground cemeteries and secret chambers. Pegasus had been more than happy to sell off the island for a considerably lucrative sum of money to invest further into his running projects.

And Mokuba spent the year rebuilding the island into what it had been for the Dueling Tournament. With the invention of the Dueling Disks, the Dueling boxes all over the island became redundant. Mokuba had thus turned them into small Dueling theaters where duelists could sit at the exact same spot and watch the old battles of the first generation Duelists who had battled in the Boxes. Previously unutilized duel boxes were retained to allow young duelists to experience the old dueling system.

Almost the whole island had been restored to what Mokuba could remember of the old island and whatever blue prints of the kingdom then that Pegasus had managed to produce. That is, except for the western coast, where Mokuba had chosen to build a mansion for their private use, and now specified as the venue for Kaiba's 29th birthday party.

Pegasus Island.

Rechristened Duelist Kingdom Island.

Because Kaiba did not treasure the memories he had of the island.

He had barely recovered from his coma, Mokuba had been kidnapped and Kaiba Corp was under Pegasus's threat. His minion betrayed him, pointed a gun at him, and he had wasted a card getting rid of the unloyal subordinate. He had to threaten to jump off the tower to get the star chips needed to enter the castle and when he finally met Mokuba, Mokuba didn't even recognize him.

He absently reached for Mokuba's locket hanging around his neck.

And then he lost his duel with Pegasus.

Very wonderful memory.

Nevertheless, his new entry to the island proved to be wonderful enough to erase him of most of his old memories.

Kaiba had almost forgotten to breathe when he first saw the island from his private jet in the twilight after a long mindless flight from Egypt, and at that point the island wasn't even fully decorated.

Flying in from the west coast of the island earlier last night, he had been greeted with the back of an elaborate mansion, with a rolling lawn that swept down to the sea providing beautiful views of the water. From the lawn the view of the back of the illuminated mansion was backed by the castle, lighted up and alluring in the evening light.

Mokuba had evidently done much to prepare for his outdoor lawn party. The lawn had been reseeded until it was lush, green and inviting. A huge staircase was constructed that led from the back of the mansion down the length of the lawn to the sea. The stairway was decorated with lattice work and lighted globes, so as to meet the verdant illuminating on the lawn. An orchestra pit large enough to seat a full orchestra, a dance floor inside a pavilion and fountains spurting water were also built. White tents were also pulled up to provide shelter above the seating.

Exhausted from his flight and overwhelmed by the flooding visions the island offered, he had quickly succumbed to bed rest in the mansion immediately after landing, and woke up only after noon on his actual birthday to a happy, tearful Kisara who missed her daddy badly after 10 days apart.

Kisara herself had been away from Domino City for the last ten days, signed up for the Kaiba Corp Europe Duel Monster Tour Camp along with the twins by their father. It was an educative trip in Kaiba's point-of-view, allowing the children to interact with children from other countries and also visit Europe as a cultural tour. It also stopped the children from worrying about their fathers' issues. The only down-side was that the children had to be absent from school, and that he frequently received calls from the Tour organizers about their unruly behaviors. Somehow, the children had started quarrelling before flying off for their Camp, and the quarrel had not simply ended there once they found themselves in foreign territory. It had only worsened once the camp started. He heard no ends of how Kisara pushed Jono into every mud pools Jono walked past and how Jono had retaliated by planting bugs and lizards in Kisara's lunchboxes at every chance he could. And how the two children had fouled every single rule in dueling during their first match against each other.

Fortunately, the camp managed to end without bloodshed on either party, and the children were sent home safely. His bubbly little girl was thus now busy running around the island, Duel-Monster-high from the spectacular duel finals that they had just watched.

The Tournament had in fact started the day before, with Mokuba presiding over the opening ceremony. Young duelists who had applied to join, received and accepted the invitations to the tournament had arrived two days ahead with their camping gears, decks, duel disks and 2 star chips on Kaiba Corp's ferries. The first eight duelists to collect ten star chips and enter the Duelist Castle where the finals were held were the final 8.

While Kaiba had missed most of the tournament, it was evident that it was a fierce competition to become the top duelist from the final few duels. Nevertheless, prejudiced or not, somehow the battles between the duelists, which he felt were less talented players as compared to him, and well a certain Yugi, just weren't as interesting as he hoped.

Following the prize ceremony, the top 8 duelists and Kaiba Corp's honored guests were invited to rest and freshen up in the castle before chartered cars brought them over to the mansion for the dinner party.

Kaiba had taken the chance then to take a solitary long walk from the Duelist Castle back to the mansion, quietly observing the many young duelists who were still excited from the duels and still busy challenging each other to duels, given the rare chance to use the dueling boxes.

Now, the sun had set, the stars blanketed the sky and guests of Kaiba Corporation and friends of the Kaibas were arriving at the mansion where the party took place.

From his balcony, he had a prefect view of the winners of the tournament and their friends gathering around the fountain, admiring the Blue Eyes statues.

A world of difference from their tournament ten years ago, Kaiba noted. There had been no grand party at the end. Only Kaiba's eagerness to get off the island with Mokuba.

The island then was also a sad pile of ruins compared to the glorious island it was now.

Mokuba had done a most wonderful job.

It was almost a vision of heaven from his position overlooking the lawn on an unlighted balcony on the fourth floor of the mansion. He had deliberately left the balcony's light off so he could remain less noticeable as he explored his crowd of guests smiling and mingling with one another in his party below.

The globes on the stairway below his balcony were one of his favorite effects. They gave off a radiance, a soft celestial light, which illuminated those standing and walking upon the stairway like the aura of angels.

And Jounouchi was one of them – swaying lightly on the railing at the foot of the stairway, looking ahead vaguely. Kaiba couldn't tell if he was looking at the dazzling crowd ahead or further beyond at the sea.

But he could see that Jounouchi had a smile on his face.

That was like Jounouchi, he mused.

The guy who loves celebrations and parties.

Katsuya Jounouchi.

It was surprising what time and distance could do.

1 month since their fight.

2 weeks since his call that night at Kaiba Corp.

20,000 kilometers away he had travelled during the last 10 days.

And he could now watch him calmly, but still not without some ache in his chest.

* * *

Jounouchi couldn't help but be impressed by everything he had experienced since stepping onto the island the night before.

The idea of reviving the Duelist Kingdom Tournament itself was truly ingenious. It brought dueling to a new height, and at the same time brought back the old duelists.

Mokuba had invited the Yugi-gang over earlier to meet up with many of the other duelists who had participated in the original Duelist Kingdom Tournament.

It was quite a pleasant surprise to meet up with duelists they had not met for 15 years.

Insector Haga, who true to his name, grew up to become an entomologist researching in the virgin tropical forests of Indonesia.

Ryouta Kajiki, still a fisherman, hoping to become the greatest fisherman in the world, but now married with two gangly sons who loved duel monsters too.

Dinosaur Ryuzaki, who grew out of his interests in dinosaurs and become an Indie rock singer, frequently performing in live houses within and beyond Domino City.

As well as many others whom the Yugi-gang had not had a chance to duel back then.

It was astonishing how people changed, and how they did not.

13 years ago, he debuted as a duelist in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament after Yugi gave him one of his star chips. Months later, he was the number 3 duelist in the world. Years later, he was still dueling on and off, had kids, and his kids were now the ones learning to duel.

How time flew.

It was good meeting up with the duelists they had battled back then – with everyone much more mature and nostalgic.

The chats had mostly focused on the duels they had back then, while discussing the new duels that took place on the island that day. Jounouchi wasn't sure how the others felt. He felt younger, like he was back in his 15 years old days, yet also felt older, feeling and seeing himself as a 29 year old man.

That evening, they were invited to spend the night in the guestrooms in the Castle, but in truth, most of them had sneaked out of the castle to play in the duel boxes, revisiting their younger days.

He had headed out to the dueling box where he and Mai had dueled and to his surprise found Mai there with Harpy, watching a replay of their duel. They had then started a new duel on the spot. Almost quite immediately, the number of spectators increased, Honda and Bakura arriving first, followed by Yugi and Anzu, who upon arrival explained they needed to put the children to sleep. A short while later, much to their amusement, they had heard Ryuzaki and Haga sneaking around nearby looking for another duel box to duel.

The tournament today had been just as spectacular. Yugi and Anzu had chosen to watch the live feed in the Duelist Castle theatre with their children, while Mai, Harpy and he had preferred to walk around the island watching the duels live.

Around noon, the twins and Kisara had arrived on one of Kaiba Corp's private jets, having just flown in back from Europe. It was apparent that the children were still fighting from the way that Jono was scowling and holding a bunch of dismembered Kuribos and how Kisara was glaring knives into Jono while holding an eyeless Blue Eye White Dragon colored black with black markers.

"She chopped up the Kuribos I won from winning the Camp Cup!" The young boy had howled.

"You pulled out the eyes of my Blue Eye White Dragon!" The girl had screeched in retaliation.

"Because you threw my Blue Flames Swordsman into the bonfire!"

"Because you colored my Blue Eye White Dragon black!"

"Because you threw my Jinzo into the mud pool!"

"Because you purposely sneezed onto my Blue Eye White Dragon!"

"Because you put bugs into my water bottle!"

"They were your bugs to start with. I was just returning them!"

"They were for you to eat and keep. Tom-Boy."

"Oh, you nasty Nancy-boy!!!"

"You deserve those bugs you know!"

"And you deserve all those mud baths!"

Only Seth in the middle and the poor babysitter who had been charged with taking care of them in-flight kept the two from starting a fight and pulling each other's hair out.

In any case, the children had run off to their respective guardians once they saw them. Seth and Jono pounced into his lap almost immediately with Jono complaining at bullet-speed how Kisara had mutilated his Kuribos and burnt his Blue Flames Swordsman, while Seth recounted how Jono and Kisara had gotten into a total of 14 fights during the camp.

Kisara had briskly jumped into the waiting arms of her uncle Mokuba while eagerly asking where her daddy was.

Jounouchi had briefly wondered if Kaiba had chosen to avoid him, but Mokuba had quickly explained within Jounouchi's earshot that Kaiba was simply still exhausted from his trip and was still sleeping.

Kisara had then gone off with Mokuba while the twins had joined him as they strolled around the island to watch the duels live.

Until near sunset, they went back to the castle to clean up, change into suits which Mokuba had prepared for them and headed over to the Kaiba Mansion for the ball in Mokuba's chartered cars.

Glorious sight.

Neat green lawns. White stairway lighted by orange globes of light. Tables with maroon red and white table-cloth with gold rims. Huge white pavilion covering the sitting area. A stage for the famous tenor who graced the stage. The melodious music that flowed out of the orchestra pit. The fountains that lined the side of the yard. Young men in vests serving champagnes and sparkling juices. A buffet counter that served endless flow of food that he never thought he would eat in his lifetime. The twins had run off the moment they saw the food.

It was like one of those huge ball parties from those fairytales which his mother read to Shizuka when they were kids and still lived together.

Men were dressed like penguins milling around like penguins. Ladies were dressed in sleek gowns waiting to be asked to dances. Jounouchi did not know most of the people there. He knew most of them were Kaiba Corp's clients but nothing beyond that. But he could see a couple of young ladies who were already eyeing him.

"Would you like a drink sir? We have Merlot and sparking juice." One of the servers approached him politely.

Jounouchi reached out for the Merlot, but his hand had barely brushed the goblet when he changed his mind the last minute. Smiling disdainfully, he chose the sparkling juice instead.

It is strange how when you love someone, you pick up his or her little habits. You become like him or her. And his habit becomes yours. Even if he or she is no longer by your side, his habit lives on, like a tattoo on the heart.

Where was he?

The star of the party.

Jounouchi glanced around.

And found Kaiba standing at the top of the lighted stairway, dressed in an elegant dark blue suit, looking down at him.

* * *

Jounouchi was looking around.

Kaiba wondered what he was looking at.

And all of a sudden, Jounouchi stopped looking around, his eyes focused on him.

The air around Kaiba could have frost over.

The sounds around him seemed to tune out, along with the lights and the people.

Until it was just him and Jounouchi, looking at each other.

Jounouchi did not turn away, but continued looking up at him.

And Kaiba stared right back at him.

Was this what people meant by time stood still? He wondered.

Yes, it was almost like time stood still, and they were just standing there looking at each other in the span of a heartbeat.

_Katsuya._

_Seto._

_Do you remember the night in school? When I asked you what you wanted us to be?_

_Yes. I said I didn't know where our relationship leads us to. And then you said that we may end up with __a few months of happy memories, years of companionship, marriage, or even a family with the both of us and Kisara, Seth and Jono. Or, it could also end up a horrible ending with us both badly hurt._

_We are both badly hurt enough now._

_Yes._

_I think we both need to know if this is the end. _

"A hundred life points for your thoughts?"

Just as sudden as time had stopped, the music of the orchestra, the soft mingling of people, glasses clinking with one another, the bright lights came back.

Kaiba turned around to see Malik and Bakura standing behind him.

"Happy Birthday~" The Egyptian man who had just barged into his and Jounouchi's invisible sphere of silent exchange grinned with his hand extended.

Kaiba took his hand and shook it neutrally. "Thank you."

Bakura and Malik together were never good news, but he doubted that anything the two brought now could worsen the situation between him and Jounouchi.

Bakura extended a hand and smiled knowingly, "Happy Birthday, Kaiba."

"I presume that you two are here not to just wish me happy birthday." Kaiba returned the handshake before stating matter-of-factly.

"I just wanted to apologize." Malik said sheepishly.

Kaiba chose to remained silent, but not without noting Bakura's amused smile that was threatening to spill.

"I lied about having sex with Jou." Malik admitted.

"I know."

"You know?" Bakura interrupted, raising a brow in fake disbelief, "You knew that Malik lied, but yet you still cracked?" The question came out more like a sarcastic remark.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?"

Bakura snorted, "You knew that Malik was lying, you knew that Jounouchi wouldn't do that to you, but yet on some level you chose to believe Malik." The pale haired young man gave a light chuckle before continuing, "You CHOSE to believe that Jou might have betrayed you. You couldn't accept the fact that he considered betraying you. And so you pushed him away when he most needed you. You hid in your room while Jounouchi had to attend Grandfather Sugoroku's funeral himself."

Kaiba felt anger surging through him. Anger at Malik, anger at himself.

Bakura's sarcastic smile was turning into a glare, "Did you even stop your brooding to think how much he might have needed you then? That he had just lost someone who has never ever forsaken him like everyone else had? And then you chose to walk out of his life, on a day like that."

Kaiba took one step forward and grabbed Bakura on his jacket. He could smell the alcohol in Bakura's breath as he growled. "Did it occur to you that Malik could have played his dirty little joke some other time? Instead of at a period when me and Jounouchi are on rocky grounds? That it took me days to start thinking straight and to convince myself that Jounouchi could not have betrayed me? And at the same time keep blaming myself for not having trusted him, yet at the same time doubted whether I should trust him?"

Kaiba pushed Bakura away.

"And you're just making a fool of me to entertain yourself with some drama."

Malik stared at him in amazement. "You really are serious about him."

Bakura rearranged his jacket collar and shook his head, "It doesn't matter what Malik did, things have already been going wrong for a while. The signs were there. You simply ignored it."

"I saw those signs! Which is why I got us Varon. I was fixing the situation and you," He turned to glare at Malik, "decided to mess it up!"

A realization struck Kaiba suddenly as he turned his eyes from Malik to Bakura, "You put Malik onto this."

Bakura folded his arms, "Yes I did."

Kaiba resisted the temptation to punch the lights out of his two guests on his birthday.

"To test me?"

"Yes." Bakura admitted, "But-."

"Who are you to barge into my relationship with Jounouchi?"

"A friend of Jou's, like Yugi and Hiroto."

"Yugi and Honda are in this too?"

"No." Bakura clarified, "But they worry, they know there are issues between the two of you, things that both of you deny, like your growing distrust and impatience towards Jou and Jou's own history. But if Hiroto and Yugi are too nice and reserved to say it out loud, I'm not."

"By doing this?"

"Alright, my bad." Bakura raised his hands into the air in surrender. "I didn't think that things would escalate to this."

Kaiba seriously resisted the temptation to hit Bakura.

"Don't blame us for your problems. Like I said, the foundations were not stable in the first place. And no one ever told you that it's going to be easy to get Jounouchi. He has more than enough emotional baggage."

"And he's not going to let others carry it for him so easily." Malik added. "Even if you keep saying that you're by his side and you want to help. You are just choking and pushing him away."

"You two are not being helpful, if that is what this conversation is meant to be."

Malik and Bakura looked at each other and grinned.

"We're not."

For the third time, Kaiba had to hold back his clenched fists.

"You two hit off so well, why aren't you a couple yet." He muttered.

That only led to howls of laughter from Malik and Bakura.

Do not, do not, do not, get into a fight on your birthday.

"We are not helping you. We are helping Jou." Bakura clarified after he found enough air to talk. The British calmed himself down and continued, "Jou needs time to open himself up to you. He needs a hundred percent of your trust. He needs to know that you will never walk out of him, ever, again. Even if that means he might walk out of you and that it sounds unfair. But if you can't give him that, I'm telling you, back off. Keep away from him."

Kaiba stared at the shorter man in cynicism, "And you were the one who set me off on this relationship."

Bakura looked guilty for a moment, before he stared back straight, "And that's why I'm regretting it now. I was selfish in using Jou to save my relationship with Hiroto."

Kaiba snorted, "So Honda is back in your arms now and you sprouted a soul?"

Bakura shook his head, but not from denial. He stared at Kaiba sadly, "Yes, but I guess that I had hoped too much. Hoped that Jou might finally find someone who would walk with him for the rest of his life." He paused, "I wasn't lying about what I said in the vet that day, Kaiba. You liked Jou from a long time ago, before you even realized it. But back then you denied it, you mocked him and insulted him, but that didn't hurt him actually. Then when you came back, you changed, a little anyway. And I thought then that if there was a person who could walk by Jou's side, it might be you. "

He paused for breathe before continuing, "But I was wrong. You hurt him more than ever. And that's what I regret."

Kaiba glared straight back at Bakura.

Bakura took a deep breathe and smiled, "Well, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I feel so much better."

Kaiba scowled.

He turned to Malik, "What's your excuse for helping Bakura?"

Malik shrugged sheepishly, "Jou is my friend. And he IS attractive."

Kaiba flinched at the remark.

"Anyway," Malik quickly added, "as part of my apologies, for having lied to you, I prepared a present for you, watch out for it later!"

Kaiba growled warily. "What?"

"You'll know when you see it. Always let yourself be surprised! That's what makes up the little joys in life!" Malik said, walking off grinning with Bakura when Mokuba appeared from out of no where.

"Hey Bro, time for your speech!"

"Speech?" Kaiba frowned, turning to his brother.

"Of course! You're the star of the party; of course you have to make a speech! It's not like you've never done speeches before, so go prepare and be ready near the stage in about five minutes!"

What he really wanted to do, was to collapse onto the nearest bed and sleep till his birthday was over.

* * *

"Enough!" Seth finally threw up his hands.

Kisara and Jono paused in their bickering and glared at each other. The lawn where the party was held was huge, but apparently not big enough to hold the strife between two little dragons, who had coincidentally met at the same buffet table and coincidentally both wanted the last piece of nugget on the serve tray. And from there, the fight had started again.

"But she started it!" Jono accused.

"You were the one who started it! You slammed the phone on me!"

"I was the one who slammed it." Seth muttered, but his mutter was never heard by his two companions.

"You were the one who was being jealous that you didn't get to ride on Battle Ship with us."

"Am not!"

"You called me Nancy-boy!"

"Because you called me Tom-boy first!"

"Oh, but you are. Look at you, wanna fight?" Jono sneered.

That hit an extremely raw nerve.

Kisara growled and pounced onto Jono, pretty dress and all, and started screaming and scratching at Jono.

Jono was knocked back onto the grass, pushed below Kisara and was kicking and punching Kisara as much as he could from his lower disadvantaged position.

They were lucky that they were in quite a secluded area blocked by the buffet table and no one saw the embarrassing fight, or perhaps, not so lucky meaning that Seth was the only one who could stop their fight.

"Stop it!" Seth yelled, pulling Kisara off Jono and screaming at Jono to stop retaliating.

Jono's punch landed on his face.

Jono and Kisara gasped at the same time.

That broke the straw on the camel's back.

Seth burst out into sobs, rubbing his painful cheek.

"Shut up! Both of you! Our daddies will never be together, and it's all because of us! And you two just want to fight!"

Kisara and Jono stopped and stared at each other, before lowering their heads in shame. They both knew in the pits of their brain somewhere that they had simply been running away from the awful fact that their daddies might never be friends again, leaving Seth to take care of things.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you." Jono reached out to his brother.

Seth hit his hand away, which only made Jono feel even guiltier. Kisara, standing beside Jono looked like she felt no less guilty.

"Don't apologize to me. The best thing you can do for me right now is to apologize to each other and we can start thinking of how we can get our daddies together again." Seth sniffed.

Kisara and Jono looked at each other, each biting their lips.

Finally, Jono was the one who stuck out his hand first, glaring down at the floor.

But Kisara was the first one to say, "I'm sorry for being angry at you, and doing all the stupid things I did". As she shook Jono's hand, her eyes also stuck on the ground.

"I'm sorry for everything I did too." Jono said reluctantly.

Seth whacked the two on their back.

"Alright, I'm sorry, I really am." Jono corrected, this time looking at Kisara, and sounding really apologetic.

Kisara looked up too at Jono and took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry too."

They shook their hands firmly.

"Friends again?" Kisara asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yeah." Jono smiled.

Seth couldn't help but smile too. It had been a long time since he last saw Jono smile. Jono wasn't happy to be fighting with Kisara. None of them were.

And when he looked over to Kisara, she was smiling too, the sweetest smile he had seen in a long while.

His smile doubled in pure glee, until Jono popped the inevitable question.

"So, what do we do now?"

* * *

Jounouchi saw Malik and Bakura approach Kaiba before Kaiba himself noticed. He figured that Malik was probably there to confess, but for Bakura, he had no idea and from the distance, he couldn't tell what kind of conversation they were having either. But it was obviously not just a simple birthday wishing.

"Nice party eh?" Honda, who had suddenly came out of nowhere, stood sipping wine beside him.

Jounouchi turned away from the scene and raised a glass to his best buddy, "Yeah, you know Mokuba. Anything he does, he makes it big."

Honda chuckled in agreement before turning his attention to the silhouettes in the unlighted balcony in the mansion, "That's Kaiba up there isn't it?"

"Hm." Jounouchi nodded.

Honda observed Jounouchi with an eye, "And you're not asking me what Bakura is doing up there with him?"

Jounouchi paused for a few moments. "No, I'm not."

Honda shook his head in amusement and the two stood in comfortable silence for a while, both pretending to be staring off at the beach and enjoying the soft music.

Until Honda finally asked again.

"Mind if I ask what happened between you and Kaiba?"

Jounouchi briefly pondered for an answer, before deciding on a simple to the point summary, "We fought."

Honda nodded, not surprised. "And so, what is it now? The relationship is officially dead?"

Jounouchi blinked. He did not like the word "dead".

"You saw all those coming didn't you?" Honda said, taking a sip of his white wine.

"Huh?"

Honda took his time to savor the wine before replying. "You and Kaiba's relationship, this situation that you are in right now. You expected it didn't you?"

Jounouchi frowned. "What? You mean I expected that Kaiba and I would break up?"

"Yes." Honda nodded, "I think that from the very beginning, you believed that you and Kaiba wouldn't end well, and you've been doing nothing but letting it happen."

Jounouchi found himself narrowing his eyes, "Are you saying that I didn't do anything to save this relationship with Kaiba?"

"Yes."

Jounouchi stared at his buddy in disbelief.

Honda looked at him calmly, "What I think is, you got burnt after the twins' mother left you."

Jounouchi felt his heart pause for a moment, before he shook his head in skepticism, "So you think it boils down to that? I think I've heard that story a million times."

"Yeah, you did. But you're not getting the point." Honda insisted, "Maybe you've gotten enough of people leaving you, like what your mom did, and your girlfriends and everyone who left. The thing is, YOU shut down after she left. And when Kaiba came along, you haven't been giving yourself completely to Kaiba."

Jounouchi found himself snapping. "I DID. I gave everything I could to him! I became- gay, just to be with him!"

"This is not about being in a gay relationship at all." Honda shook his head, as if to prove his point. "It's you. You got hurt once and you got scared. You stopped letting anyone come into your life. That's why you never found another girl. That's why you never married Mai."

Jounouchi felt his throat go dry as Honda's words struck a chord in him.

Honda seized the chance to continue. "And Kaiba never once held back for you. He risked everything. But you don't give it back the same way, not totally. Not completely. You locked a part of yourself away, where Kaiba can't touch. And he's tried all kinds of methods to get to it, to unlock it. He opened himself up to your friends. He went all out to please your mother and sister. He asked me for help to look for Varon and you think you are the only one here embarrassed by the sex therapist issue?" Honda suddenly asked in mild anger, "Did you think it didn't hurt his pride that he had to seek help from other men regarding his own sex issues?"

Jounouchi looked away, unable to stand the truth in his friend's eyes.

"Listen Jou, if you can't give yourself completely to him, let go of the guy. Break his heart and make it a clean break. He will fall deep and heavy, but he will recover. Don't let him hang there. Unless-" He paused and Jounouchi stared at those clear sincere eyes, "Unless, you think you can do it, that you can give him a hundred percent of yourself, then he might be the guy that comes along once in a life time."

Jounouchi stared at his friend. The truth in his friend's words had struck something in him and he found himself facing the harsh truth about himself. A truth that he had denied for so long he had forgotten about it.

But what Honda said was true.

He had never given Kaiba his complete self.

His reservations, his fears, his excuses for sex with Kaiba, were simply all fear of rejection from Kaiba afterwards. He had kept Kaiba at length, to protect himself.

"If you can't, just let him go my friend." Honda finished as he pointed a glass to the stage where Kaiba was now standing.

* * *

Kaiba looked down into the audience, observing every single face in the crowd. Every single face. He knew all of them, Yugi's gang, his high school classmates, some of his closer classmates from university, partners in the industry, client corporations whom Kaiba Corp sells their products to, producers who produce their toys, the young duelists who took part in the day's competition, employees of Kaiba Corp, and many more.

He picked up the microphone and spoke softly into it.

"15 years.

"15 years since I last stepped onto this island for the first time and my last time. That is almost half of how old I am today."

The audience responded with light laughter. He gave them one of his rare public smiles.

"Today I spent some time remembering the past 29 years of my life. What I did during certain times, how I have changed or remained unchanged through out the 29 years. It is not a lot, 29 years old is very short – shorter than the blink of an eye. A strange age to celebrate, but Mokuba was insistent on it, and seeing how all of you appear to be enjoying yourselves, I have to admit that he is right." He smiled in Mokuba's direction and watched Mokuba grinned back at him amidst a round of cheers and claps.

He waited for the claps to die down.

"The first 13 years of my life, was spent on securing Kaiba Corp and making it a corporation known for its high technology. The last 16 years of my life, I spent collecting Duel Monster cards and expanding Kaiba Corp. Kaiba Corp has grown, expanded and today is one of the largest establishments in the world, with many of you as avid, loyal supporters.

"But today," he shook his head, "I'm not going to talk about Kaiba Corp's achievements. I am going to talk about something more personal. My own dreams and my own desires.

"As much as I have always believed and insisted that Kaiba Corp is my life, like some of you may have noticed, it is not." He looked down intently at the faces of his many listeners, stopping at Yugi who smiled and nodded approvingly.

"The meaning of Kaiba Corp lies not in holographic images, high technology, money, but in people – bringing joy to orphaned and underprivileged children, like Mokuba and I were." The crowd fell quiet.

"Through Kaibaland, we bring happiness and a sense of home to many suffering orphans and children all around the world, some of whom Mokuba and I have adopted, and some of them, who are here today at this wonderful party." He smiled and glanced over at a few of his older orphans who raised their glasses in his honor. He could only try to contain his chuckle when he found Kisara busy talking to Seth and Jono animatedly. Apparently they had just became friends again.

"Through Mokuba, Kisara my adopted daughter and many of my deeply loved and remembered children, I've discovered the meaning of family, and the love that holds families together."

Kaiba paused, looking into the eyes of Jounouchi Katsuya.

_Yea, we do._

_It's your call, Katsuya._

_What happens if we end off here?_

…… _We will learn to let go of each other. I might leave Domino City for a while, put some time and distance between us. Easier to heal, for both of us. _

……

_And then we go back to the lives we had before we had each other. _

"As well as the love that holds couples together.

"Couples. The dictionary defines it as a pair; two of the same kind. Male, female, do they matter? We love each others as persons. We let go of pride, let go of our individuality, let go of our similarities, our differences, and let go of our beliefs, all because…"

He tore his eyes away from Jounouchi. "All because, we can't let go of a person."

His audience was quiet but Yugi was beaming at him. Honda, Bakura and Malik were the first to clap out loud. He knew the rest of the audience were mostly confused, but the ovation that followed was nonetheless thunderous.

Kaiba stepped off the stage.

* * *

Seth felt his heart sink when Malik approached them.

They had not been able to find the Gods, after all.

"Yo boys and girl." Malik called out cheerfully.

Kisara and Jono turned their attention to him, and Seth could see that their happiness was melting away like chocolate under the sun.

"Hi, Uncle Malik." Not surprisingly, he was the only one to greet the Egyptian man.

"Did you find the Sky Dragon of Osiris?" Seth asked, while Kisara and Jono bit their lips and stood quietly.

"I have it, it is right here." Malik grinned, holding up a nicely-wrapped box about the size of a pillow.

"You found the Sky Dragon of Osiris!?" Kisara's eyes grew wide as saucer.

Malik nodded, gesturing to the box in his hands.

"And I suppose you three have found the Obelisk and Fire Dragon of Ra?"

The kids looked down onto the floor guiltily.

"We haven't been able to find it." Kisara said, her voice trembling. "It will be our entire fault if our daddies never get together."

To Seth's utmost shock and repulsion, Malik actually nodded.

Kisara burst out into tears.

Jono frowned in disapproval.

"Alright, I was just kidding. But come' on, the Obelisk, the Fire Dragon of Ra, the Sky Dragon aren't going to bring your daddies together."

Kisara only sobbed harder. "But Harakhti, their combination, the God of light, IS the most powerful god! Only he can bring our daddies together!"

Malik raised a brow. "Not in your fathers' books."

Kisara sniffed and looked up, along with the twins, curious.

"Your father never told you how he sacrificed the Obelisk to summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon?"

Kisara's eyes grew wider.

"And how your father was able to endure the Fire Dragon's mental attack?" Malik turned to the twins.

"Yeah, he did mention it a couple of times, or maybe like, a couple hundred times." Jono muttered while Seth looked at Malik with eyes as big as Kisara's.

"It just proves one thing, doesn't it? Some things are bigger than Gods."

Kisara blinked, confused.

Malik sighed. "Sometimes, it is just a matter of what you strongly believe in and what you want, and by strongly believing in what you believe in, and what you want, you will work towards what you want."

The children's blank faces told Malik that they had no idea what he was talking about.

Malik shook his head. "Oh, never mind the big words. Kisara, what does your father believes in most?"

Kisara sniffed. "His dreams, Uncle Mokuba?"

Seth frowned. "The Blue Eye White Dragon? If he can sacrifice a God to summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon, he must really believe in it."

"Smart boy!" Malik grinned, ruffling Seth's hair. "And who would the Blue Eye's counterpart be? And who believes in that counterpart?"

"The Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Jono shouted. "Daddy's monster!"

"Right." Malik beamed and then squat down beside the kids so that they were at the same eye level.

"Now, you want to believe that something will bring your daddies back together."

Kisara shook her head. "We BELIEVE that we can do something to bring our daddies back together."

Malik tilted his head to a side and then shrugged. "Alright, that's what I mean. So now that you know what your fathers believe in, something that is greater than god, and something that you can get, what do you think you can do about it?"

The kids looked at each other in confusion.

Then, the realization finally hit them.

"We can summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon and the Red Eye Black Dragon!"

The three kids chorused.

Malik beamed at them.

"Thank you! Uncle Malik!" Kisara hugged the Egyptian man, giving him a light peck on the cheek, before scampering off, gesturing for Seth and Jono to follow her quickly.

"You're going to be my favorite uncle!" Jono declared and ran off.

Seth was the only one who gave him a strange look.

"They needed something to believe in." Malik pointed out defensively.

Biting his lips, Seth muttered a soft "So do I." and ran off too into the crowd behind his mates.

What the kids didn't see was Malik watching them vanish into the crowd, looked at the present in his hands, smile and then chucked the box into the rubbish bin before walking back to the party, whistling.

* * *

When he had finished shaking the hands of almost half the people at the party who had came to comment on his wonderful speech, Kaiba found his former nemesis standing at the end of the crowd, apparently waiting for him.

"That was a nice and short speech." Yugi raised his glass as a small toast after Kaiba excused himself to approach the shorter man.

Kaiba raised his glass of sparkling juice to Yugi's.

"Does that mean it was nice because it was short?"

Yugi grinned. "Partially."

They each took a sip of their drink.

"I'm sorry I couldn't attend your grandfather's funeral." Kaiba started.

Yugi gave a faint smile, "We received your flowers." He cheered up slightly, "And I believe he's in a better place now."

Kaiba nodded silently.

"29 years old, in the blink of and eye. How does that feel?"

"Old."

Yugi chuckled, "It's not that long."

"Some days felt particularly long, some days particularly short."

"As long as you live all the days of your life." Yugi quoted. "And never let go of that one person you can't let go."

"What if he wants me to let him go?" Kaiba asked. It was strange, talking to his past-nemesis about his relationship problems. But who else could he turn to? There was little doubt Yugi knew him well. In order to win, one had to know thyself and thy enemy well, and Yugi had won him too many times.

Yugi looked him in the eye. "Then you will know when you have to let him go."

Yugi smiled, turning to leave, "He's at the pavilion near the seaside, where there are less people, if you want to find him."

Kaiba blinked. "Thank you, Yugi."

* * *

When Kaiba found him, Jounouchi was sitting in the solitude pavilion watching the fireworks.

The fireworks Mokuba had arranged were amazing.

Duel Monsters fireworks. Kaiba Corp had truly redefined high-technology.

"Katsuya," Kaiba softly called out.

Jounouchi did not turn to look at him, but continued looking up at the sky.

_Sounds like you have it all planned out._

_No._

_Is there an alternative?_

_Yes._

……

_We try again._

Only then had Jounouchi realized how exhausted he was. How exhausting the idea of going back to Kaiba was. Despite how much he missed Kaiba, how tempting it was to once again have Kaiba Seto at his side.

And when Jounouchi did not answer, Kaiba had understood what he meant.

_Then, I guess this is goodbye._

Jounouchi closed his eyes. People walk out of his live all of the time. But they just leave. They don't ask if they should.

_Goodnight Katsuya. Goodbye._

_Goodnight_

Kaiba had then hung up.

Left hanging to his cell phone, he had just wanted to curl up and cry the pain out of his heart.

The next 2 days had been a blur, which quickly transcended into the normalcy of life. He could get over it. He got over his mother walking out of him with Shizuka. He got over his father abandoning him for alcohol. He got over the twin's mother disappearance.

But somehow, he could not let Kaiba Seto go.

Why was it so difficult?

"That's really impressive. The fireworks. Look, that's the Red Eyes Black Dragon! And the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Jounouchi pointed at the fiery dragons in the night sky.

Kaiba followed Jounouchi's gaze up to the fireworks.

Was their love nothing but fireworks?

Rise, bloom and fall.

And nothing is left.

Three Blue Eye White Dragons faded into the dark.

Jounouchi finally looked away from the fireworks and turned to Kaiba.

"How are you?"

"Fine." Kaiba nodded slowly. "How about you?"

"Pretty good. Getting used to life the way it was." Jounouchi answered after a long pause, his eyes following the fireworks again.

Finally the last series of fireworks died away, amidst cheers and claps.

In the background, the orchestra had started their performance again.

Jounouchi smiled and closed his eyes.

Familiar song.

Well-shared between him and Kaiba.

Somewhere over the rainbow.

Kaiba knelt down with on one knee beside him so that they were at eye level.

"Is there nothing I can do that can make you think about starting over?"

Jounouchi blinked.

A lump was in his throat.

He couldn't look at Kaiba, but before he could turn away, Kaiba gently but firmly held his jaw, forcing him to face him.

Jounouchi averted his eyes but knew Kaiba was staring straight at him.

"_All because, we can't let go of a person."_

Kaiba couldn't let him go.

Kaiba won't let him go either.

He, on the other hand, could he let Kaiba go?

Somewhere in him wanted to hold onto him, but could he give himself totally to him?

Let go of his pride, his belief, his sexuality for Kaiba.

Kaiba could and had. Jounouchi had always known. Kaiba would let go off his pride, his belief and everything, all for him. Kaiba never held back. Kaiba would risk everything he had to be with him. He knew all these before Honda told him, before Kaiba's speech, but he had never realized just how much he himself had held back.

How he had always been the one to let go first. How he had not stopped Kaiba from leaving. How he had not stopped their split when he could have done it all.

"I've been thinking for the last 2 weeks. I don't want us to end like this. When we decided to split on the phone 2 weeks ago, either one of us could have stopped it. It would have been easy."

Jounouchi looked into Kaiba's eyes.

2 weeks ago, Kaiba had let him made the decision. It was his decision that they split up. And Kaiba had accepted it.

But Kaiba was right, at any moment, they could have chosen to continue the relationship. He might have chosen to continue the relationship if he had known how much more he could give Kaiba.

Blue, aqua eyes.

When was the last time he had looked into Kaiba's eyes?

Intent, focused, pained, hopeful.

"Will it be just as easy to start over again?" He found himself saying.

Stunned aqua eyes.

"Puppy?"

Kaiba had leaned forward to whisper into his ears.

Jounouchi could feel his warm moist breath on his cheek.

"Kaiba?" He was confused at Kaiba's actions, and his heart was starting to speed up.

Kaiba's familiar sweet cinnamon scent.

Soft, freshly-shampooed hair that touched Jounouchi's cheek lightly.

And then all of a sudden, his head was semi-buried in Kaiba's warm, welcoming chest.

Sweet, warm. It was like going home, after a long, wet, mentally and physically exhausting journey. Kaiba wrapped his arms around his shoulders. It was so warm, so welcoming that it made Jounouchi felt like crying.

"Kai-"

"Shh…"

Kaiba's hand was sifting through his hair, as he always did – and Jounouchi knew what was coming next.

Against his other wish to obey passively, he reached out and pushed Kaiba away.

Only his attempt was too slow and weak, as Kaiba's gently cupped his neck and pulled him towards him.

Instinct had him close his eyes, and feel the electrifying sensation running down his neck when their lips met.

Warm, familiar, soft lips.

Like butterflies touching his lips, Kaiba kissed him softly, slowly kissing down from his lips to his chin to his neck. Each kiss nothing more than a light touch, but each one bringing back familiar sensations and memories of intimate, deep, strong kisses. Each kiss making him want to kiss Kaiba back, until he finally succumbed and wrapped his arms around Kaiba, savoring Kaiba's kisses on his neck, and kissing Kaiba on the forehead.

Then, a soft but well-aimed object hit him on the forehead, bounced off Kaiba's head before landing on the floor.

Jounouchi pulled away in surprise, but before he could investigate what hit him, Kaiba grabbed hold of him and stared into his eyes.

Jounouchi blinked.

The silence between the two of them lasted only seconds as Jounouchi's state of mind returned to before the kiss.

"I thought we were going to start over." Jounouchi said.

Kaiba looked at him and said quietly. "And this is where we started."

Jounouchi blinked, memories of their past flowing pass him like a parade.

Them, meeting for the first time again since they were 16 years old at the Therapist centre.

Them, meeting again at Yugi's house for a gathering.

Them, meeting again in school where Kaiba helped get the kids into the school.

Them, at Shizuka's wedding, when he had fallen off the steps into Kaiba's lap.

And finally, at the beach, when Kaiba had pulled him into his arms and kissed him.

And that was where they had begun.

He broke into a grin.

To both his and Kaiba's surprise, he was the one who stepped forward and pulled Kaiba into a long-awaited and badly-missed hug—where they were equally relieved and contented by simply having each other in their arms. And discover that they still fitted each other perfectly.

Jounouchi smiled over Kaiba's shoulder, breathing in deeply the warmth radiating off Kaiba.

They could try again.

And this time, he would give it his all, as long as Kaiba continued to support him and wait for him to slowly open up to him.

Snuggling up to Kaiba's chest, he sighed in relieve and enjoyed the comfort of simply being there with Kaiba.

Out of the corner of his eyes, the unidentified flying object lying on the floor caught his attention.

Jounouchi froze, stunned as he digested the mutant soft-toy.

He knew Kaiba's eyes had inescapably travelled to the UFO and was now as shocked as he was, the air around them practically freezing over.

The two continued to stare in silence.

In memory of the mutant eyeless blue-eye black dragon and red eye black dragon which were hugging each other, their cut-off heads attached to the mismatched bodies using mere rubber bands.

Jounouchi closed his eyes and smiled.

This was where they started.

* * *

**Authors' comments**

Concluding chapter of Family of Dragons! Hope you enjoyed it.

But this is still not the end, because we intend to have epilogues to tie up some more loose ends (you can drop us a review-note to remind us of any loose ends you noticed and hoped we tied them up.)

At current count, since the day we published FoD on 22nd May 2004, until today 25th Oct 2009, we have clocked a total of 225,679 words, 467 reviews, 36469 hits, have FoD on 119 story alerts and 228 favorites. Thank you for your continuing support and we hope to see you again at the epilogues.

Check out the poll in the profile and tell us what you think. ^_^

**Parting Quotes**

May you live all the days of your life - Jonathan Swift


	25. Epilogue

**Family of Dragons**

**A Kaiba is WHAT Productions**

_Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and its characters do not belong to Kaiba is WHAT Productions._

**Epilogue**

Warm piercing sunlight on his face.

Jounouchi barely lifted one eyelid, and when he did, he winced at the sunlight before turning away to lie on his back, blinking away the sunspots.

White tall ceiling with gold cornices.

Where the hell was he? The bed was too hard, the ceiling too high up and definitely far too royal for his taste.

His brows screwed together as he tried to start up his still-dormant brain.

Seto.

The frown quickly dissolved into relaxed smile.

The first few times he had woken up in that room, he had seized the blanket in shock before proceeding to kick and demand to know who the man lying beside him was. Every time, Seto Kaiba would groan and reassure him that it was his dear Seto, before grabbing his half of the blanket back and telling him to go back to sleep. And he would, with his brain more functional, snuggle back up with Kaiba and return to sleep, knowing that everything was well.

He peered over the lump beside him at the nightstand to find the clock, only to remember that they had shifted the clock. He grinned, recalling the only once too many times Kaiba had glared at him after being woken up with a fist to the eye. Now the alarm clock stood on his side of the bed.

"Blanket hogger." He nudged the lump beside him, feeling the sunlight warming up his bare skin, until the lump shifted away a few inches.

He signed and flopped back onto the bed, but knew he was too wide awake to fall back into sleep.

He tended to wake up early when sleeping over at Kaiba's. It wasn't that he could not adapt to the new surroundings, it was simply that he wanted to spend more hours awake beside his lover.

He shifted his weight towards Kaiba and slowly peeled back the silk blanket that Kaiba had scrunched up all around him until the sleeping man's face was uncovered.

There he was, still sleeping like a rock. When Seto Kaiba slept, it was near impossible to wake him up unless some serious violence was involved. The alarm clock could be ringing right beside his ear and he would sleep through it like it was the lullaby. Jounouchi really wondered how the guy usually made it to work on time.

Long eyelashes, pale fair skin, brown soft hair are like cat's fur.

Beneath those closed eyes were the most beautiful, intensive aqua blue eyes he had ever seen.

The eyes that always assured him that everything would be fine, that he would always be there for him, that he would never walk away.

Under those eyes, he had allowed himself to be undressed by Kaiba. Kaiba had kissed him on his forehead before moving his hands downwards leisurely, provocatively sucking and kissing at every bare skin, his hands unabashedly exploring around Jou's navel. By the time Kaiba's kisses found their way near his toes, he was nearly begging for release and more. His fear of what was to come was overshadowed by his need and yearning for the pleasures derived from sex. When Kaiba entered him, slowly and gently, among continuous kisses and soft whispers of his name, the pain and stimulus mixed together to form a fire that burnt throughout his lower body and threatened to burst out of him. The pleasure overpowered the pain, for several moments he thought his mind would blow. Just when he thought they couldn't go any deeper, Kaiba had pushed himself further into his trembling body. Until finally they were one. For a moment, they had held still, hearing each others' breaths, feeling each other pulsing within each other. He felt Kaiba, hard and hot inside him as far deep in as they could reach. He felt himself burning, trying hard to hold back where Kaiba had wrapped his fingers around. After what seemed an eternity of bliss, he could not help but automatically started moving against Kaiba, and when Kaiba moved along with him in the perfect rhythm, he found two voices crying out for each other's name, both holding back for as long as they could until they were dizzy from the experience.

It was amazing.

If any fear was involved, it would be how Jounouchi was shocked at how much he enjoyed it and wanted more.

That was a month ago. Since then, they had made love uncountable times and Jounouchi had enjoyed them all.

Despite their previous agreement about making love on Kaiba's birthday, Kaiba had taken it all slow and patiently, never giving him any pressure.

The day it happened, they were simply lying in bed holding each other.

They had spent an hour trying to get the children to go to sleep in spite of the storm raging outside. The children finally fell asleep as the storm died down and they had returned to Kaiba's room.

Kaiba had raised an important point as they lay on the bed making small talk.

They were together again, but given their current commitments and responsibilities, it was unlikely they could move in together. As lovers, they wanted to spend as much time with each other as possible. As independent adults, they had their own lives, work, responsibilities and wishes to continue to retain as much of those independence as possible. As parents, they had to make sure that their choice of lifestyles did not cause too many changes to the children. As siblings and members of their extended family, they had to respect their family member's level of acceptance of intimacy.

Kaiba's sole family – Mokuba, had little to say about their choices. Mokuba had always supported whatever decisions Kaiba made. In fact, Mokuba was the first to declare that Jounouchi and the children were always welcomed to stay if they wished to. His little brother, on the other hand, was willing to move into the East Wing with Rebecca, whom he had swore his loyalty and love to, at least for now. Kaiba and Jounouchi, had however, after much discussion, decided that Jounouchi and the children should not move in permanently. Nevertheless he and the twins stayed over almost every Friday and Saturday. On Saturday nights and occasionally, weekday evenings, Kaiba and Kisara would join them for dinner at Jounouchi's house.

Jounouchi's family had been more difficult to deal with. Jounouchi knew his father and step-mother were more willing to accept Kaiba and Kisara as part of the family. His birth mother, on the other hand, had been very against the idea since the beginning. She had been aghast when she knew that he had reconciled with Kaiba, and had even at one point refused to come over for dinner when Kaiba was there. But at least she wasn't on his case that much for now since she was busy enjoying her twin baby granddaughters.

The conversation had then drifted off to Kaiba's birthday celebration.

"What were Bakura and Malik talking to you about?" He had asked.

Kaiba had raised a brow and refused to answer the question.

"Come'on." He had coaxed, with little nibbles of affections on Kaiba's ear.

Kaiba had squirmed, smirked and answered with a strong, long, passionate kiss, which Jounouchi could do little to resist. Fuming lightly, he had kissed back so hard and long he practically sucked all the air out of Kaiba - Kaiba had ended up gasping for air.

"You've improved." Kaiba had gasped.

Jounouchi smirked, "I've always been good a kisser. I just didn't want to blow your ego."

He had then moved in to plant kisses and soft bites on Kaiba's ear and neck, where he had learnt Kaiba was the most sensitive, earning grunts of pleasure from the taller man.

They had kissed and rolled about in the bed, running fingers along each other's back and face when Jounouchi became aware that Kaiba was sticking painfully into his side. Kaiba had looked at him intently, waiting patiently for an answer that he did not expect an immediate reply.

Willing trusting brown eyes had met steady blue eyes.

Now, lying beside his lover, Jounouchi tucked himself back into bed, and snuggled under the blanket until he was hugging Kaiba face to face.

Kaiba opened one sleepy eye.

"Good morning."

Jounouchi kissed him on the eyelid.

"Why are you up so early?" Kaiba muttered.

"I was thinking about how far we've come."

Kaiba simply smiled, closed his eyes and rolled back to sleep.

"I should have known it the first day I saw you at the vet."

"Known what? And didn't we first meet at the therapy center?" Kaiba mumbled.

"I saw you in your car from my vet." Jounouchi ran a finger down Kaiba's nose, as if teasing a puppy.

"Hn."

Jounouchi snorted in feign annoyance, "I should have known that you would come storming into my life like a hurricane, smashing my perfectly balanced single fatherhood with your egoism and interfering self-importance."

"Does that imply that you wish I never came back to Domino City?" Kaiba asked, lazily opening one eye.

Jounouchi shook his head, "You did come back, and I did meet you again."

"Hn."

"Why did you come back?" Jounouchi asked.

Silence met his question.

"Why did you come back?"

"I was looking for something." Kaiba finally answered quietly.

Jounouchi raised a brow as he poked Kaiba in the side, which made Kaiba stifle back a chuckle and roll into a ball inside the blanket.

"What were you looking for?"

* * *

What was he looking for?

Why had he come back?

9 months ago, he was still in the U.S. with Kisara, when Dr. Light started to preach him about settling down. Even now, the memory of him playing with a Rubik's cube in the consultation room was fresh in his mind.

Honestly, he had no idea that this was how his life would turn out to be at that very point of time.

All he had decided, was that it was time for them to go home.

Time for him to go home to Domino City.

After 10 years.

Where his brother and childhood memories were.

Where he had grew up under the tyranny of Gozaburo. Where he had studied and fought so hard to gain a stronghold of Kaiba Corp and eventually took over as CEO. Where he had met the Yugi-gang, held Death-T and Battle City. Where he had eventually left to expand Kaiba Corp into a world class organization. Where he had chose to return to.

He certainly had not expected to meet a certain single daddy at the therapist center, did not expect to be invited into the lives of his high school acquaintances whom have now become his close friends, did not expect to kiss a crying man on the wedding day of his sister, did not expect to sweep like a cyclone into the life of a particular mutt he had teased mercilessly ten years ago.

He had barged into the Jounouchi's life, interfering in the other's life and utterly destroying the other's secure and happy life. But his own life had not remained untouched. Like Jounouchi, his life had been thrown into shambles the day he found himself kissing the man at the beach. He had struggled and pretended that he was in control, that he could step out of the collision any time he liked. But by the time he came to admit it, he was already too deeply entangled. Losing Jounouchi brought him literally to his knees as he lay in his bed wondering where their relationship had gone wrong.

And now they finally had things right. Kisara adored the twins and Jounouchi. He loved the twins. Jounouchi and his two little clones came over every weekend. They would have dinner together, have family time until around 9pm and then the children were tucked into bed with a short bed time story. By ten, he and Jounouchi would be comfortably snuggled up in their bed doing whatever things he had planned, that is unless Jounouchi had something else up his sleeves.

Jounouchi always surprised him when it came to making love. The puppy had been wary at first, frightened and worried. They had put it off for a most torturous period of time whereby the number of cold showers he took was uncountable. But the following results after their first time were delightful, with Jounouchi initiating most of the time, allowing Kaiba to find out the kinkier side of his lover which he had not known. The things Jounouchi suggested and did in bed, and outside of it, were more often than not, creative and requiring a certain level of flexibility and gymnastic skills. To date, he had replaced two night stands, his bathroom sink and a full body massage chair. The piano bench was also on the verge of collapsing. But of course, those were small prices compared to the look on Jounouchi's face in the moment of ecstasy and the sleepy contented look afterwards.

"A hundred life points for your thoughts?" Jounouchi prodded him randomly through the blanket.

Kaiba chuckled, only his chuckle was quickly eclipsed by the slamming of the screen door and happy shouts and screams from Kisara, Seth and Jono as they ran out of the house towards the pool.

"I get to go first!"

"No I get to go first!"

Kisara and Jono, as usual, fighting over who gets to go onto the pool slide first.

Two loud splashes were heard, followed by Kisara and Jono's squeals that the water was too cold.

Kaiba unrolled himself from the blanket and wrapped his arms around Jounouchi, smiling at the delightful shouts and screams from the children.

"I came back to find a home, and I found you." He finally whispered into Jounouchi's ears.

And the kids. And everything.

Jounouchi rolled around so they faced each other.

Brown eyes met blue eyes.

"I just want you to know, that millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you." Jounouchi whispered.

He smiled and pulled Jounouchi closer.

He was home.

* * *

**Authors' Comments.**

This is it. After 7 years, FoD finally see its final chapter. We originally thought of doing 2 epilogues (since we had 2 prologues) but decided that your imagination of ever after is the best ending this story could have. Apologies for the grammar mistakes here and there =) Thank you for supporting through all this years, especially those who followed all the way from 2004! We really appreciate all your reviews, favs, and hits! We hope you enjoyed reading the story as much as we enjoyed the writing. May you grow with this story and find a happiness to call your own.

Stats:As of 28 Jul GMT+8 28th July 10pm

509 reviews 48,811hits 248 favourites.

**Parting Quotes**

**"Anyone who falls in love is searching for the missing pieces of themselves. So anyone who's in love gets sad when they think of their lover. It's like stepping back inside a room you have fond memories of, one you haven't seen in a long time."  
— Haruki Murakami **


End file.
